Journal Article

Counting meal colors enhances eating pleasure related to favorable dietary behaviors: A randomized controlled trial in adult men

Akamatsu, Rie, Otake, Keiko

2026

Overview

This study examined whether paying visual attention to meals—by following a simple and non-burdensome instruction—could enhance eating pleasure in individuals with low eating pleasure, as measured by epicurean eating tendency (EET) scores, and whether increased EET could be sustained after the intervention. A randomized controlled trial was conducted online in Japan’s Kanto region (Nov–Dec 2023) among 536 men aged 20-64 with low EET scores. The intervention group (n = 360) followed a 5-d lunch color-counting task and reported increased meal awareness. The control group included 176 participants. EET scores were measured before, immediately after, and 2 and 4 wk postintervention, using per-protocol set analysis. Data from 116 (32.2%) intervention and 126 (71.6%) control participants were analyzed. Median baseline scores were 21.0 in both groups (P = 0.051). After the intervention (post-survey 1), the intervention group scored higher (25.0) than the control group (22.0, P < 0.001). Two weeks later (post-survey 2), scores slightly declined in both groups (24.0 and 20.0), but the intervention group maintained a significant increase from baseline (P < 0.001), whereas the control group did not (P = 0.089). Scores in the intervention group remained stable at post-survey 3 (24.0, P = 1.000). Given prior evidence linking higher EET to healthier eating behaviors, this simple 5-d lunch color-counting task may help increase and sustain EET. Future studies should explore further methods to enhance EET in populations with low eating pleasure. jRCT1030230414 •Counting meal colors for 5 d increased Epicurean Eating Tendency.•The intervention effect was maintained even after 4 wk.•While Epicurean Eating Tendency increased, no change in diet quality was observed. Even a simple method of counting the colors of meals for just 5 d could enhance Epicurean Eating Tendency (EET), one of the eating pleasures associated with favorable dietary behaviors. [Display omitted]

• Publisher: Elsevier Inc,Elsevier Limited
• Subject: Adult / Adults / Awareness / Body mass index / Clinical trials / Color / Diet / Diet, Healthy - psychology / Dietary guidelines / Eating / Eating behavior / Feeding Behavior - psychology / Food / Humans / Intervention / Japan / lunch / Lunch - psychology / Lunches / Male / Meals / Meals - psychology / Middle Aged / Mindfulness / Pleasure / randomized clinical trials / Randomized controlled trial / Surveys / Visual perception / Young Adult