Smell it, select it! Behavioral and cognitive investigations into odors’ influence on healthy food choices

Samenvatting (Engelstalig)

My PhD research examines how food odors – such as chocolate or apples – can subtly influence what people choose to eat, even without their awareness. Four studies were conducted in both controlled lab environments and real-life contexts, using questionnaires, food choice tasks, cognitive tasks, eye-tracking, and brain scans (MRI). The result showed that food odors can promote the selection of healthy-congruent foods, though the effect was modest and context-dependent. Moreover, olfactory cues influence early decision stages, such as attention, and may engage distinct brain regions related to cognitive control and reward processing. These insights may inform the development of low-cost, non-intrusive strategies that employ olfactory cues to support healthier eating and contribute to public health improvement.