Sweet tooths eat more fruit than salty snackers

People with sweet tooths generally eat more fruit than people who like savoury snacks, according to research by Cornell University in New York.

The study, published in the July issue of the research journal, Appetite, also found fruit lovers were more likely to eat sweets than people who enjoy eating vegetables.

Lead author of the report and marketing professor Brian Wansink wrote:

“Understanding these taste or preference co-variances ... helps us better understand what drives the consumption frequency of various foods.”

Evaluating links in people’s food preferences could help marketers create more efficient marketing strategies, the researchers claimed.

For example, sweet eaters could be encouraged to satisfy their sugar cravings with naturally sweet fruit instead.

The researchers questioned 2,000 consumers in the US to determine if there is any correlation between people’s preferences for confectionery and their consumption of fresh produce.