Effects of social modeling on young women's nutrient-dense food intake

We examined whether a same-sex peer's vegetable consumption would predict the number of vegetable pieces eaten by the participant. A total of 116 Dutch women (M age = 20.28; M BMI = 21.68) participated. Their nutrient-dense food intake was measured during a 15-min break between two tasks, consisting of rating television advertisements. Participants consumed more vegetables when exposed to a peer eating a large number of vegetables than when exposed to a peer eating a small number or nothing. These findings suggest that social modeling processes may be relevant to interventions aimed at encouraging young women's nutrient-dense food intake.