WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES IN FOOD-CONSUMPTION ANDARE THEY MODIFIED BY PERSONALITY

This paper reports, for 1613 Australian twin pairs aged 18-26 yr, the components of variance in self-reported high fat, salt and fibre food consumption, and the influence of personality on this consumption. Ind ividual environment is the most influential factor and most of the fam ilial influence on variance in consumption of high fat and salt food w as explained by a common set of genes. Weak associations were found be tween personality and food consumption variables. The set of genes inf luencing variance in the social conformity (EPQ-R-S lie scale) persona lity trait made a small contribution to the genetic effects influencin g consumption of fatty and salty food. We did not find evidence to sup port recently reported positive association between extraversion and s alt consumption nor negative associations between neuroticism and psyc hoticism, and fat consumption. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.