USA: Investigations into the effects of different meal characteristics on caloric consumption have found that meals that are eaten quickly, and contain high-energy density, as well as tasty foods, are linked to higher caloric intake that may result in obesity.
The rate of obesity worldwide has almost tripled since 1975. Between 2017 and 2022, obesity affected 41.9 percent of the United States population. The main cause of obesity is long-term energy imbalance i.e consuming more calories than the body gets a chance to burn.
Studies have shown that eating quickly, and higher energy density foods, those that have more calories per gram, is linked to greater food intake. Other data indicates that highly palatable foods may be artificially rewarding to consume. Meanwhile, higher protein intake has been linked to increased satiety and lower energy intake. A greater understanding of key dietary characteristics could aid the design of diets to treat obesity.