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Epidemiology

Food and nutrient intakes by temperament traits: findings in the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 72, pages 1136–1141 (2018)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/objectives

Previous studies have shown that the temperament traits are related to risk factors for chronic diseases, which could be partly explained by lifestyle habits. However, little is known whether temperament traits associate with diet. The aim of this study was to examine the cross-sectional associations between temperament traits and the whole diet.

Subjects/methods

We studied 1668 men and women, aged 56−70, from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Temperament was measured using the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. Information on diet was collected by a validated 128-item food frequency questionnaire. The associations of temperament traits; novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA), reward dependence (RD), and persistence (P), with diet were tested by linear regression analysis.

Results

After adjustment for potential confounders, greater HA was related to poorer diet quality, including lower consumption of vegetables, fruits, fish and several vitamins. RD was associated with healthier diet quality, including higher consumption of vegetables and intake of vitamin E and lower intake of alcohol. NS was significantly related to higher intake of fish, fat and alcohol and lower consumption of cereals, milk products and carbohydrates. No significant associations between P and intake of foods and nutrients were observed.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that there is an association between temperament traits and diet. Especially greater HA seems to associate with poorer diet quality and greater RD with healthier diet quality.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by The Signe o. Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, The Juho Vainio Foundation, The Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation, The Academy of Finland, The Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, The Finnish Diabetes Research Foundation, The Finnish Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, Samfundet Folkhälsan, Liv och Hälsa and Finska Läkaresällskapet.

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Mia-Maria Perälä, Anna-Maija Tiainen.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health Solutions, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

    Mia-Maria Perälä, Anna-Maija Tiainen, Satu Männistö, Niina E. Kaartinen, Eero Kajantie & Johan G. Eriksson

  2. Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland

    Mia-Maria Perälä, Anna-Maija Tiainen & Johan G. Eriksson

  3. Department of Psychology and Logopedics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Jari Lahti, Marius Lahti, Kati Heinonen, Anu-Katriina Pesonen & Katri Räikkönen

  4. Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Jari Lahti

  5. Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Eero Kajantie

  6. PEDEGO Research Unit, MRC Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Eero Kajantie

  7. Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki, Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Johan G. Eriksson

  8. Vasa Central Hospital, Vasa, Finland

    Johan G. Eriksson

Authors
  1. Mia-Maria Perälä
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  2. Anna-Maija Tiainen
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  3. Jari Lahti
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  11. Johan G. Eriksson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mia-Maria Perälä.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Perälä, MM., Tiainen, AM., Lahti, J. et al. Food and nutrient intakes by temperament traits: findings in the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Eur J Clin Nutr 72, 1136–1141 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0229-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0229-4

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