Subjects: Psychology >> Other Disciplines of Psychology submitted time 2021-10-03
Abstract： Sexual selection has played important roles in shaping human psychology and behaviors. However, its roles in the field of food choice have been seldom examined. In the current study, we reviewed literature on the function of sexual selection in shaping human females’ food choice. According to relevant theories, sexual selection has shaped sex-specific mating strategies. For human males, they care more about potential mates’ physical attractiveness (body fat, waist-hip-ratio, etc.), which has been regarded as an indicator of fertility for human females. The pressure has pushed human females to pay more attention on their body figure. Since food and human’s body figure is intimately related, it is highly likely sexual selection might also cause an effect on human females’ food choice. Indeed, some studies has explored the possibility by examining female food choice after manipulating their mating motivation, and found that mating motivation reduced female choice of high-fat and high-sugar food. Besides, female choice of high-sugar food also fluctuated with menstrual cycle, with increased binge eating and high-sugar food choice during the midluteal phase of menstrual cycle and reduced high-fat food choice during ovulation. These findings suggested that sexual selection might play a role in shaping human females’ food choice. However, it should be noted that extant studies are far from enough to confirm the link. To further understand the relation between sexual selection and food choice in females, we need scholars from different disciplines to cooperate to conduct more systematic studies. Meanwhile, a brain-hormone-behavior perspective would be indispensable for building a comprehensive framework to understand the role of sexual selection in female food choice.
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