Food choice questionnaire revisited in four countries. Does it still measure the same?

Consumer Acceptance of Cultured Meat: An Updated Review (2018–2020)

Cultured meat is one of a number of alternative proteins which can help to reduce the demand for meat from animals in the future. As cultured meat nears commercialization, research on consumers’ perceptions of the technology has proliferated. We build on our 2018 systematic review to identify 26 empirical studies on consumer acceptance of cultured meat published in peer-reviewed journals since then. We find support for many of the findings of our previous review, as well as novel insights into the market for cultured meat. We find evidence of a substantial market for cultured meat in many countries, as well as markets and demographics which are particularly open to the concept. Consumers mostly identified animal- and environment-related benefits, but there is plenty of potential to highlight personal benefits such as health and food safety. The safety of cultured meat and its nutritional qualities are intuitively seen as risks by some consumers, although some recognize potential benefits in these areas. Evidence suggests that acceptance can be increased with positive information, as well as frames which invoke more positive associations. We conclude by arguing that cultured meat will form one part of a varied landscape of future protein sources, each appealing to different groups of consumers to achieve an overall reduction in conventional meat consumption. We acknowledge a range of pro-cultured meat messaging strategies, and suggest that framing cultured meat as a solution to existing food safety problems may be an effective approach to increase acceptance. In the long-term, objections based in neophobia and norm violation will decrease, and widespread acceptance will depend in large part on the price and taste.

Novel Food-Based Product Communication: A Neurophysiological Study

The steady increase in the global food demand requires alternative sources. Food sources from invertebrates could be a viable alternative. Despite a growing interest in terrestrial invertebrates as novel food, Western consumers have to cope with fears and taboos. This research aims to investigate possible communication strategies of novel food through labels. To understand the complexity underlying food choice and novel food attitude, two studies were carried out. In Study 1, the main drivers in the food decision-making process were identified. Based on these results, in Study 2, two different food labels for crackers made with earthworm flour were designed. Applying a neurophysiological approach, we measured participants' neuropsychophysiological activation and behavioural response while watching food labels. A video on nutritional and ecological issues was shown to consumers to reduce aversion towards earthworms as food. The results in Study 1 indicate health and sensory dimensions as the major drivers in food choice. The data of Study 2 supported the effectiveness of the statement about nutritional qualities of the products on male participants, who tend to have a more positive reaction than female participants toward the novel product made with earthworm flour when the label's claim focuses on nutritional advantages. Limitations and practical implications are discussed.

Relationships between Motivations for Food Choices and Consumption of Food Groups: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Survey in Manufacturing Workers in Brazil

Motivations for food choices may determine consumption, and understanding that relationship may help direct strategies for formulating diets. This study aimed to identify associations between motivations for food choices and consumption of food groups. An observational cross-sectional survey was conducted in 921 manufacturing workers from 33 companies in Brazil, based on a stratified two-stage probability sample. Motivations for food choices were assessed with the Food Choice Questionnaire, and intake of food groups was measured using 24-h dietary recall. Consumption was classified into 31 food groups defined according to their nutritional value and the NOVA classification. Data were analyzed with multilevel mixed-effects regression. The results showed that sensory appeal and price were the most important motivations for food choices, while ethical concern was less important. Sensory appeal was positively associated with consumption of industrialized condiments (p = 0.022), price showed a negative correlation with consumption of plant oils (p = 0.022), ethical concern showed positive correlation within consumption white meat (p = 0.065) and negative correlation within pasta dishes (p < 0.001). Regarding the NOVA classification, health correlated with an increase in consumption of unprocessed foods (p = 0.017) and weight control with a decrease in consumption of processed culinary ingredients (p = 0.057).

The unhealthy = tasty belief is associated with BMI through reduced consumption of vegetables: A cross-national and mediational analysis

Obesity is one of the greatest public health challenges of modern times and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. With food so abundant in developed countries, many people face a conflict between desires for short-term taste and the goal of long-term health, multiple times a day. Recent research suggests that consumers often resolve these conflicts based on their lay beliefs about the healthiness and tastiness of food. Consequently, such lay beliefs can play critical roles not just in food choice but also weight gain. In this research, we show, across six countries and through mediation analysis, that adults who believe that tasty food is unhealthy (the Unhealthy = Tasty Intuition, or "UTI"; Raghunathan, Naylor, & Hoyer 2006) are less likely to consume healthy food, and thereby have a higher body mass index (BMI). In Study 1, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in five countries (Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, and the UK), and found that greater strength of belief in UTI was associated with higher BMI, and this relationship was mediated by lower consumption of fruits and vegetables. The observed patterns largely converged across the sampled Western and Asian-Pacific countries. In Study 2, we teased apart the mediating role of vegetable versus fruit consumption and also addressed the issue of reversed causality by predicting BMI with a measure of UTI belief taken 30 months previously. We found that vegetable consumption, but not fruit consumption, mediated the association between UTI belief and BMI. Our findings contribute to the literature by showing how lay beliefs about food can have pervasive and long-lasting effects on dietary practices and health worldwide. Implications for public policy and health practitioners are discussed.

Why We Eat What We Eat: Assessing Dispositional and In-the-Moment Eating Motives by Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

Background

Why do we eat? Our motives for eating are diverse, ranging from hunger and liking to social norms and affect regulation. Although eating motives can vary from eating event to eating event, which implies substantial moment-to-moment differences, current ways of measuring eating motives rely on single timepoint questionnaires that assess eating motives as situation-stable dispositions (traits). However, mobile technologies including smartphones allow eating events and motives to be captured in real time and real life, thus capturing experienced eating motives in-the-moment (states).

Objective

This study aimed to examine differences between why people think they eat (trait motives) and why they eat in the moment of consumption (state motives) by comparing a dispositional (trait) and an in-the-moment (state) assessment of eating motives.

Methods

A total of 15 basic eating motives included in The Eating Motivation Survey (ie, liking, habit, need and hunger, health, convenience, pleasure, traditional eating, natural concerns, sociability, price, visual appeal, weight control, affect regulation, social norms, and social image) were assessed in 35 participants using 2 methodological approaches: (1) a single timepoint dispositional assessment and (2) a smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) across 8 days (N=888 meals) capturing eating motives in the moment of eating. Similarities between dispositional and in-the-moment eating motive profiles were assessed according to 4 different indices of profile similarity, that is, overall fit, shape, scatter, and elevation. Moreover, a visualized person × motive data matrix was created to visualize and analyze between- and within-person differences in trait and state eating motives.

Results

Similarity analyses yielded a good overall fit between the trait and state eating motive profiles across participants, indicated by a double-entry intraclass correlation of 0.52 (P<.001). However, although trait and state motives revealed a comparable rank order (r=0.65; P<.001), trait motives overestimated 12 of 15 state motives (P<.001; d=1.97). Specifically, the participants assumed that 6 motives (need and hunger, price, habit, sociability, traditional eating, and natural concerns) are more essential for eating than they actually were in the moment (d>0.8). Furthermore, the visualized person × motive data matrix revealed substantial interindividual differences in intraindividual motive profiles.

Conclusions

For a comprehensive understanding of why we eat what we eat, dispositional assessments need to be extended by in-the-moment assessments of eating motives. Smartphone-based EMAs reveal considerable intra- and interindividual differences in eating motives, which are not captured by single timepoint dispositional assessments. Targeting these differences between why people think they eat what they eat and why they actually eat in the moment may hold great promise for tailored mobile health interventions facilitating behavior changes.

Consumer Understanding of Food Quality, Healthiness, and Environmental Impact: A Cross-National Perspective

The last few decades testify that consumers' concerns for healthier lifestyles and environment care are driving forces for reshaping food buying intentions and their perspectives on food quality. The present study identifies the importance that consumers attach to quality, health, and environment selected cues of purchased food products. More precisely, to elicit preferences for social, environmental, and qualitative food cues, a survey instrument was developed and applied on 797 Belgian and Romanian consumers. Our findings suggest that investigated consumers most frequently use freshness, taste, and appearance to evaluate food quality. The use frequency of food quality cues related to health is primarily influenced by the attention paid to food quality. The most relevant cues of food healthiness are ingredients, nutrition facts, and additives and for food environmental impact are packaging, food origin, and production type. It is concluded that food quality receives high attention both from Belgian and Romanian consumers and health and environment related cues can be used as a means of improving consumer health and environmental protection.

We Can’t Keep Meating Like This: Attitudes towards Vegetarian and Vegan Diets in the United Kingdom

Animal agriculture is implicated as a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, animal suffering and public health problems. This survey asked 1000 UK meat-eaters about their beliefs about vegetarian and vegan diets, and their intended consumption of meat and animal products one month in the future. One in six intended to reduce their meat consumption in the next month, and 14% intended to reduce their consumption of animal products. The majority agreed that vegetarian and vegan diets are ethical, good for the environment and healthy. The majority also agreed that both vegetarianism and veganism were socially acceptable. However, there were three consistent negative beliefs about vegetarian and vegan diets: that they are difficult, that they are not enjoyable and that they are expensive. Moreover, perceptions of vegan diets were significantly more negative than perceptions of vegetarian diets on most aspects. Significant differences in perceptions of each diet were observed between genders and by age. It is argued that most meat-eaters agree with the ethical and environmental arguments in favour of vegetarianism/veganism but do not follow these diets because of practical reasons relating to taste, price and convenience. New alternatives to animal products are discussed as a possible way to address these practical barriers. Finally, the case is made for more research on developing high-quality, low-cost and widely available animal product alternatives.

The Influence of Taste Liking on the Consumption of Nutrient Rich and Nutrient Poor Foods

Repeated consumption of high-energy nutrient poor foods can lead to undesirable health outcomes such as obesity. Taste plays an important role in food choice, and a better understanding of the links between the taste of foods, individual taste preferences, food choices, and intakes will aid in our understanding of why some people might select and consume unhealthy foods. The present review focuses on three main questions: (1) do nutrient poor and nutrient rich foods significantly differ in taste profile? (2) are humans predisposed toward developing a liking or preference for certain taste profiles? (3) how are individual variations in liking of the basic taste qualities related to long term food intake and adverse health outcomes such as obesity? Results indicated that nutrient poor foods were likely to be sweet, salty and fatty mouthfeel, while the taste profiles of nutrient rich foods were diverse. Although humans are born with a universal liking for sweet and aversion for bitter taste, large individual differences exist in liking of all the basic taste qualities. These individual differences partly explain differences in short term intakes of foods varying in taste profiles. However they fail to sufficiently explain long term food choices and negative health outcomes such as obesity. Future studies should focus on how the full sensory profile of food which includes taste, smell and texture interacts with individual characteristics (e.g., taste or health motivations, taste preferences) to affect consumption of nutrient rich and nutrient poor foods.

The Eating Motivation Survey in Brazil: Results From a Sample of the General Adult Population

Brazil is undergoing a rapid nutrition transition with unfavorable effects on dietary healthiness. To counteract this trend, knowledge about individual drivers of consumption is needed that go beyond environmental factors. The Eating Motivation Survey represents a comprehensive measure of such individual drivers, assessing 15 eating motives, such as choosing food for health reasons or eating because of a good taste. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties and validity of a Brazilian Portuguese version of The Eating Motivation Survey. In total, 442 participants from the general adult population living in the state of São Paulo, Brazil filled in an online survey. Results showed that the model, including 15 motive factors and 45 items, had a reasonable model fit. Moreover, factor loadings and corrected item-scale correlations were generally good. Fourteen out of the 15 motive scales had a reliability above 0.60. Results also confirmed convergent validity. These results demonstrate that the Brazilian Portuguese version of The Eating Motivation Survey is generally reliable and valid to assess individual drivers of eating behavior in Brazil.

Validity of the factorial structure of the Brazilian version scale of the Food Choice Questionnaire

This study examines the dimensional structure and reliability of the 36-item Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) in a Brazilian Portuguese version, an instrument used to measure the importance of motives behind food choices. The sample includes 502 adults. Confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA) were used to evaluate the configural (dimensionality) and metric (magnitude of factorial loadings, residual correlations and factorial discriminatory validity) structures of the instrument. Internal consistency evaluation used the Omega coefficient (Ω); temporal reproducibility used the Kappa coefficient with quadratic weighting (κ) in a separate sample of 41 subjects. The final CFA corroborates the 9-factor original structure and shows high factorial loadings (λi > 0.80 in 34 items); two residual correlations (r(i2-i3) = 0.773 and r(i16 i17) = 0.853); and factorial correlations indicating factor discriminant validity (φ < 0.80). Regarding reliability, there is adequate internal consistency (Ω = 0.877 to 0.968), and good test-retest reproducibility indicating temporal stability (κ = 0.768 to 0.917). It can be concluded that the FCQ version has good configural and metric properties, and may be recommended for use in Brazil in its present form.

Older Consumers' Readiness to Accept Alternative, More Sustainable Protein Sources in the European Union

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a growing concern on account of an aging population and its negative health consequences. While dietary protein plays a key role in the prevention of PEM, it also plays a pivotal role in the environmental impact of the human diet. In search for sustainable dietary strategies to increase protein intake in older adults, this study investigated the readiness of older adults to accept the consumption of the following alternative, more sustainable protein sources: plant-based protein, insects, single-cell protein, and in vitro meat. Using ordinal logistic regression modeling, the associations of different food-related attitudes and behavior and sociodemographics with older adults' acceptance to consume such protein sources were assessed. Results were obtained through a consumer survey among 1825 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or above in five EU countries (United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Finland). Dairy-based protein was generally the most accepted protein source in food products (75% of the respondents found its consumption acceptable or very acceptable). Plant-based protein was the most accepted alternative, more sustainable protein source (58%) followed by single-cell protein (20%), insect-based protein (9%), and in vitro meat-based protein (6%). We found that food fussiness is a barrier to acceptance, whereas green eating behavior and higher educational attainment are facilitators to older adults' acceptance to eat protein from alternative, more sustainable sources. Health, sensory appeal, and price as food choice motives, as well as gender and country of residence were found to influence acceptance, although not consistently across all the protein sources. Findings suggest that there is a window of opportunity to increase older adults' acceptance of alternative, more sustainable protein sources and in turn increase protein intake in an environmentally sustainable way in EU older adults.

'I've worked so hard, I deserve a snack in the worksite cafeteria': A focus group study

This study obtained insight in motivation regarding food choices of Dutch employees, especially when visiting the worksite cafeteria. We also aimed to know why employees visit the worksite cafeteria. These insights are useful for intervention development to encourage healthier purchases in worksite cafeterias. We conducted seven focus groups among 45 employees of seven Dutch companies. The topics were 1) drivers and motives for food selection; 2) motives for visiting the worksite cafeteria; 3) motives for food selection in the worksite cafeteria; 4) perceptions of healthiness of products in the worksite cafeteria and 5) solutions brought up by the employees to encourage healthier eating. Thematic analyses were conducted with MAXQDA software. Qualitative analyses revealed that this group of Dutch employees mentioned 'healthiness', 'price' and 'taste' as most important drivers food selection. These employees generally visit the worksite cafeteria to have a break from their work setting. Healthiness played a less important role in visiting or making food choices in the worksite cafeteria. Reasons for buying unhealthy food items were being tempted and the feeling to 'deserve' it. In order to choose healthier foods employees suggested a bigger offer of healthy food options, providing knowledge, changing prices and prominent placing of healthy foods. This focus group study shows that drivers for food selection can differ from motives for visiting the worksite cafeteria and when choosing food there. Health is important for food choice in general, but less important in the worksite cafeteria. The results of this study could be used in the development of strategies that aim to change people's food choice behavior.

Adiposity and binge eating are related to liking and wanting for food in Brazil: A cultural adaptation of the Leeds food preference questionnaire

The Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire (LFPQ) measures separable psychological components of food reward (Liking and Wanting). In this study a cultural adaptation of the LFPQ for a Brazilian population (LFPQ-BR) was examined by comparing liking and wanting scores in fasted and fed states and their association with adiposity and disturbed eating. A culturally adapted food picture database was validated by an online questionnaire completed by 162 individuals. Cluster analysis verified if the foods were accurately perceived in terms of sweetness, fat and calorie content. Subsequently, 48 male (N = 21) and female (N = 27) adults with mean Body Mass Index 26.6 (0.9) kg/m², and mean age 32.8 (1.4) years, were evaluated by the LFPQ-BR before and after a fixed test meal. The Binge Eating Scale was used to measure binge eating symptoms. There was a decrease in explicit liking, implicit wanting, and explicit wanting scores for food in general in the fed condition. The implicit and explicit wanting and explicit liking scores for high-and-low fat savoury food decreased and for high-and-low fat sweet foods increased to a greater extent after the savoury test meal. Body Mass Index was found to predict implicit wanting for high fat relative to low fat foods. Binge eating symptoms predicted high fat sweet explicit liking and explicit wanting in the fed condition. Finally, high fat sweet preference was found to be sex-related as females had greater implicit wanting for high fat sweet foods in fasted and fed states. The results presented here indicate that the LFPQ-BR is a useful instrument for the evaluation of liking and wanting for food in Brazil.

Consumer-Oriented Product Development: The Conceptualization of Novel Food Products Based on Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) and Resulting Consumer Expectations

The world population is steadily growing and the demand for protein increases along with it, yet our planetary resources are finite. Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is an underutilized protein source suitable for human nutrition, and little is known about the use of spirulina as a food and the associated consumer opinion. New product development (NPD) requires early and active participation of consumers for the success of new products; therefore, a mixed method approach was applied to conceptualize (sensory profiling of spirulina extrudates and expert interviews) and then evaluate consumer’s willingness to try (consumer survey) three innovative products: pasta filled with spirulina, maki-sushi filled with spirulina, and spirulina jerky. To evaluate the consumer orientation towards novel, spirulina-based products, 1035 consumers from three countries (GER,n=348; FR,n=337; NL,n=350) were surveyed regarding their hedonic opinion about these concepts. A photo of each product was systematically accompanied by a benefit description covering health, sustainability, or innovation. Each consumer sequentially evaluated three combinations thereof (Latin square design). A multilevel model was used to analyze consumers’ responses regarding novelty, interest, overall liking, and expected flavor liking. Overall, spirulina-filled pasta was identified as the most preferred product. Mediation analysis revealed that this could be partly explained by familiarity with products in that category (i.e., pasta more than sushi and jerky). In conclusion, all spirulina product concepts would work equally well, if pasta, sushi, and jerky were similarly familiar to the target consumer population. All tested benefits were equally accepted with each product, with the exception that spirulina jerky would have to be marketed as being innovative. Country differences can be neglected.

Peanut Consumption in Malawi: An Opportunity for Innovation

Peanuts are a valuable source of nutrients, but peanut consumption patterns, consumption frequencies, and the factors influencing peanut consumption in Malawi are not known. This study surveyed consumers to fill this knowledge gap and to assess Malawian consumers’ readiness to try new food products. Out of the 489 respondents surveyed, all but three consumed peanuts (in any form). The majority (70.4%) consumed peanuts at least three times in a week. Chi-square test showed that demographic and socioeconomic variables had significant effects (p < 0.05) on peanut product preferences, the frequency of peanut consumption, and readiness to try new foods. For instance, women mostly preferred peanut flour compared to men, and peanut butter was the most preferred form for younger consumers. Logistic regression analysis showed that consumers with high school education or below were 2.35 times more likely to eat peanuts more often than consumers with post high school education. Among the participants that were ready to try new foods (54%), men and those with post high school education were 1.90 and 2.74 times more likely to try new foods than their respective counterparts. In general, the diversity of peanut products on the Malawian market is limited, and socioeconomic restrictions override consumer preferences. Therefore, future peanut-based food products innovations should explore ways to overcome such restrictions.

Adaptation of the Food Choice Questionnaire: the case of Hungary

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability of the original 36-item Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) model developed by Steptoe et al. (1995) in Hungary.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The national representative questionnaire involved 1,050 individuals in Hungary in 2015. Several multivariable statistical techniques were applied for the analysis of the data: confirmatory factor analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster and Log-linear analysis.

FINDINGS

The results indicate that the original nine-factor model is only partially applicable to Hungary. This study successfully managed to distinguish the following factors: health and natural content, mood, preparation convenience, price and purchase convenience, sensory appeal, familiarity, and ethical concern. The FCQ scales proved to be suitable for the description of clusters based on specific food choices and demographic characteristics. By using the factors, the following five clusters were identified: modern food enthusiast, tradition-oriented, optimizer, easy-choice and un-concerned, all of which could be addressed by public health policy with individually tailored messages.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The Hungarian testing process of the FCQ model contributes to an examination of its usability and provides the possibility of fitting the model to different cultures.

An Overview of Attitudes Toward Genetically Engineered Food

Genetically engineered food has had its DNA, RNA, or proteins manipulated by intentional human intervention. We provide an overview of the importance and regulation of genetically engineered food and lay attitudes toward it. We first discuss the pronaturalness context in the United States and Europe that preceded the appearance of genetically engineered food. We then review the definition, prevalence, and regulation of this type of food. Genetically engineered food is widespread in some countries, but there is great controversy worldwide among individuals, governments, and other institutions about the advisability of growing and consuming it. In general, life scientists have a much more positive view of genetically engineered food than laypeople. We examine the bases of lay opposition to genetically engineered food and the evidence for how attitudes change. Laypeople tend to see genetically engineered food as dangerous and offering few benefits. We suggest that much of the lay opposition is morally based. One possibility is that, in some contexts, people view nature and naturalness as sacred and genetically engineered food as a violation of naturalness. We also suggest that for many people these perceptions of naturalness and attitudes toward genetically engineered food follow the sympathetic magical law of contagion, in which even minimal contact between a natural food and an unnatural entity, either a scientist or a piece of foreign DNA, pollutes or contaminates the natural entity and renders it unacceptable or even immoral to consume.

Food choice motives, attitude towards and intention to adopt personalised nutrition

OBJECTIVE

The present study explored associations between food choice motives, attitudes towards and intention to adopt personalised nutrition, to inform communication strategies based on consumer priorities and concerns.Design/SettingA survey was administered online which included the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) and items assessing attitudes towards and intention to adopt personalised nutrition.

SUBJECTS

Nationally representative samples were recruited in nine EU countries (n 9381).

RESULTS

Structural equation modelling indicated that the food choice motives 'weight control', 'mood', 'health' and 'ethical concern' had a positive association and 'price' had a negative association with attitude towards, and intention to adopt, personalised nutrition. 'Health' was positively associated and 'familiarity' negatively associated with attitude towards personalised nutrition. The effects of 'weight control', 'ethical concern', 'mood' and 'price' on intention to adopt personalised nutrition were partially mediated by attitude. The effects of 'health' and 'familiarity' were fully mediated by attitude. 'Sensory appeal' was negatively and directly associated with intention to adopt personalised nutrition.

CONCLUSIONS

Personalised nutrition providers may benefit from taking into consideration the importance of underlying determinants of food choice in potential users, particularly weight control, mood and price, when promoting services and in tailoring communications that are motivationally relevant.

[Cross-cultural adaptation and apparent and content validity of the short version of The Eating Motivation Survey (TEMS) in Brazilian Portuguese]

Understanding why people eat what they eat is essential for developing nutritional guidelines capable of modifying inadequate and dysfunctional eating patterns. Such understanding can be assessed by specific instruments, amongst which The Eating Motivation Survey (TEMS) allows the identification of factors that determine motivations for eating and food choices. The aim of this study is to present the cross-cultural adaptation of the short version of TEMS for use in studies in the Brazilian population. The process involved conceptual and item equivalences; semantic equivalence by 2 translators, 1 linguist, 22 experts (frequency of response understanding), and 23 bilingual individuals (with response comparisons by the paired t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and intra-class correlation coefficient); and operational equivalence, performed with 32 individuals. The measurement equivalence corresponding to psychometric properties is under way. All equivalences showed satisfactory results for the scale's use in Brazil, thus allowing application of TEMS to assess motivations for eating choices in the Brazilian context.

Food choice motives including sustainability during purchasing are associated with a healthy dietary pattern in French adults

Background

Sustainability has become a greater concern among consumers that may influence their dietary intake. Only a few studies investigated the relationship between sustainable food choice motives and diet and they focused on specific food groups.

Objective

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the associations between food choice motives during purchasing, with a focus on sustainability, and dietary patterns in a large sample of French adults.

Design

Food choice motives were collected in 31,842 adults from the NutriNet-Santé study, using a validated 63 items questionnaire gathered into 9 dimension scores: ethics and environment, traditional and local production, taste, price, environmental limitation (i.e. not buying a food for environmental concerns), health, convenience, innovation and absence of contaminants. Dietary intake was assessed using at least three web-based 24-h food records. Three dietary patterns were obtained through factor analysis using principal component analysis. The associations between food choice motive dimension scores and dietary patterns were assessed using linear regression models, stratifying by sex.

Results

Individuals were more likely to have a “healthy diet” when they were more concerned by not buying a food for environmental concerns (only for 3^rd tertile versus 1^st tertile β_women=0.18, 95% CI=0.15–0.20, β_men=0.20 95% CI=(0.15–0.25)), ethics and environment (women only, β=0.05, 95% CI=0.02–0.08), absence of contaminants (women only, β=0.05, 95% CI=0.01–0.07), local production (women only, β=0.08, 95% CI=0.04–0.11), health (women only) and innovation (men only), and when they were less concerned by price. Individuals were also less likely to have traditional or western diets when they gave importance to food choice motive dimensions related to sustainability.

Conclusion

Individuals, especially women, having higher concerns about food sustainability dimensions such as ethics and environment and local production, appear to have a healthier diet. Further longitudinal studies are required to better understand how sustainable concerns may influence long-term nutritional quality of the diet.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12937-017-0279-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Consumption of a High Quantity and a Wide Variety of Vegetables Are Predicted by Different Food Choice Motives in Older Adults from France, Italy and the UK

BACKGROUND

Consumption of a high quantity and wide variety of vegetables is currently recommended for health. Dietary variety can be low, however, particularly for older adults. This study investigated the affective factors associated with the quantity and variety of vegetables consumed by older adults in France, Italy and the UK.

METHODS

Adults aged 65 years plus completed questionnaires on self-reported vegetable intake (quantity and variety), liking for vegetables, attitudes towards intake, and demographic variables.

RESULTS

In 497 older adults (France, n = 187, Italy, n = 152, UK, n = 158), higher quantities of vegetables consumed were associated with a higher age, affluence score and liking for vegetables, and a lower importance in consumption of familiarity (smallest β = 0.11, p = 0.03). Greater variety was associated with a higher liking and importance of health benefits, and a lower importance of familiarity (smallest β = -0.11, p < 0.01). Higher quantity and variety combined (quantity × variety) was associated with a higher age, liking and importance of health benefits, and a lower importance of familiarity (smallest β = 0.14, p = 0.02). Country-specific effects were also found (smallest β = 0.20, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate a role for liking and a lower concern for eating familiar foods in vegetable consumption, and a particular role for concern for health benefits in the consumption of a greater variety of vegetables.

Associations between motives for dish choice during home-meal preparation and diet quality in French adults: findings from the NutriNet-Santé study

A number of motives such as constraints or pleasure have been suggested to influence dish choices during home-meal preparation. However, no study has evaluated how the importance conferred to these motives potentially influence diet quality. The present study aims at investigating the difference in diet quality according to the importance attached by individuals to various dish choice motives. The importance of twenty-seven criteria related to dish choices on weekdays was evaluated among 48 010 French adults from the NutriNet-Santé study. ANCOVA and logistic regression models, adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, were used to evaluate the association between the importance attached to dish choice motives (yes v. no) and energy and food group intakes, as well as adherence to French nutritional guidelines (modified Programme National Nutrition Santé-Guideline Score (mPNNS-GS)). A higher adherence to nutritional guidelines was observed in individuals attaching importance to a healthy diet (mPNNS-GS score 7·87 (sd 0·09) v. 7·39 (sd 0·09)) and specific diets (mPNNS-GS score 7·73 (sd 0·09) v. 7·53 (sd 0·09)), compared with those who attached little/no importance (all P<0·0001). These individuals also exhibited higher intakes of fruits and vegetables, but a lower consumption of meat, milk and cheese, sugary products and convenience foods compared with their respective counterparts (all P<0·0001). For other motives, that is, constraints, pleasure and organisation, only small differences were observed. The main difference in diet quality was related to the importance placed on a healthy diet. Although a causal link should be demonstrated, our findings suggested that strategies aiming at enabling people to take into account diet quality during home-meal preparation might be effective levers to promote healthy eating.

Evaluating the Influence of Nutrition Determinants on Construction Workers' Food Choices

Nutritional knowledge as well as economic, social, biological, and cultural factors have been known to determine an individual's food choices. Despite the existence of research on the factors which influence nutrition globally, there is little known about the extent to which these factors influence the food choices of construction workers, which in turn influence their health and safety during construction activities. The present article investigates the extent to which construction workers' nutrition is influenced by nutritional knowledge, as well as economic, environmental, social, psychological, and physiological factors. A field questionnaire survey was conducted on site construction workers in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Principal components analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that consumption of foods termed alternative foods including dairy products, eggs, nuts, fish, and cereals, was influenced by nutritional knowledge and resources. Foods termed traditional core foods were influenced by cultural background; foods termed secondary core foods comprising fruits and vegetables were influenced by economic factors, resources, and cultural background; while foods termed core foods were mostly influenced by nutritional knowledge. By providing evidence of the factors which most influence selection and consumption of certain foods by construction workers, relevant nutrition interventions will be designed and implemented, taking cognizance of these factors.

Motives for dish choices during home meal preparation: results from a large sample of the NutriNet-Santé study

Background

Although culinary practices have strongly evolved over time, few data are available on contemporary dish choices during meal preparation. We therefore sought to determine individual motives when choosing dishes to be prepared during weekdays and on weekends.

Methods

The importance of 27 criteria related to dish choices was assessed in 53,025 participants in the NutriNet-Santé study. Dimensions of dish choice motives were investigated using exploratory factor analysis. Mean ratings of motives during weekdays and on weekends were compared using Student's t-test. Association between socio-demographic and cooking practice characteristics, and dish choice motives were evaluated using logistic regression models.

Results

Five dimensions of dish choice motives emerged: healthy diet (explained variance: 48.3 %), constraints (19.0 %), pleasure (12.1 %), specific diets (11.0 %) and organization (9.6 %). The healthy diet factor was the most important on weekdays (mean rating 3.93) and weekends (3.90). Pleasure (3.61) had a higher score than constraints (3.54) on weekends (p < 0.0001) while the opposite was observed on weekdays (3.42 vs 3.77, respectively) (p < 0.0001). Organization was more important on weekdays (2.89) than on weekends (2.75) (p < 0.0001). Dish choice motives appeared to be significantly associated with socio-demographic and cooking practice characteristics.

Conclusion

This study highlighted factors involved in dish choices in meal preparation on weekdays and weekends, as well as individual characteristics which determine motives for dish choices. From a public health perspective, these findings might help to develop appropriate strategies for promoting home meal preparation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12966-015-0270-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Food choice patterns among frail older adults: The associations between social network, food choice values, and diet quality

Social network type might affect an individual's food choice because these decisions are often made as a group rather than individually. In this study, the associations between social network type, food choice value, and diet quality in frail older adults with low socioeconomic status were investigated. For this cross-sectional study, 87 frail older adults were recruited from the National Home Healthcare Services in Seoul, South Korea. Social network types, food choice values, and diet quality were assessed using The Practitioner Assessment of Network Type Instrument, The Food Choice Questionnaire, and mean adequacy ratio, respectively. Results showed that frail older adults with close relationships with local family and/or friends and neighbors were less likely to follow their own preferences, such as taste, price, and beliefs regarding food health values. In contrast, frail older adults with a small social network and few community contacts were more likely to be influenced by their food choice values, such as price or healthiness of food. Frail older adults who tend to choose familiar foods were associated with low-quality dietary intake, while older adults who valued healthiness or use of natural ingredients were associated with a high-quality diet. The strength and direction of these associations were dependent on social network type of frail older adults. This study explored the hypothesis that food choice values are associated with a certain type of social network and consequently affect diet quality. While additional research needs to be conducted, community-based intervention intended to improve diet quality of frail older adults must carefully consider individual food choice values as well as social network types.

Tradução e adaptação cultural do questionário sobre motivo das escolhas alimentares (Food Choice Questionnaire – FCQ) para a língua portuguesa

ResumoO Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) avalia a importância atribuída pelos indivíduos a nove fatores relacionados às escolhas alimentares: saúde, humor, conveniência, apelo sensorial, conteúdo natural, preço, controle de peso, familiaridade e preocupação ética. O estudo objetivou descrever o processo de tradução e adaptação cultural do FCQ para a língua portuguesa e avaliar sua aplicabilidade com as seguintes etapas: traduções independentes, obtenção do consenso em português, retrotradução, avaliação por um comitê de especialistas, validação semântica e pré-teste. Este foi aplicado em uma amostra aleatória de 86 estudantes universitários, de ambos os sexos, mediana de 19 anos de idade. Pequenas diferenças entre as versões foram observadas e poucas adaptações realizadas. Após discretas modificações nos processos de tradução, o comitê de especialistas considerou que a versão para o português apresentou equivalências semântica e conceitual. A validação semântica demonstrou fácil compreensão. O instrumento apresentou alto grau de consistência interna. O estudo foi a primeira etapa do processo de validação de um instrumento, que é a validade de face e de conteúdo. Novas etapas, que já se encontram em andamento, são necessárias antes de sua utilização por outros pesquisadores.