Research
Adherence
Food availability is the primary determinant of food intake, as unavailability prevents consumption regardless of preference or biological drive.
To change eating habits, first ensure the desired foods are physically and economically accessible. Without availability, other interventions like education or willpower are significantly less effective.
StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
There is little argument that availability is very often the primary determinant of quality of food intake and, within limits, quantity as well.
Why this rating
The paper is a high-level review of established consensus in nutrition science.
Source
Food choice and intake: the human factor
David J. Mela · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · 1999
DOI 10.1017/s0029665199000683
narrative_reviewCited 191×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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