Understanding the motives for food choice in Western Balkan Countries

Convenience as a dimension of food environments: A systematic scoping review of its definition and measurement

Convenience is a major driver of food choice throughout the world, yet it is often inconsistently conceptualised, defined and measured. This limits the scope for food systems policy and interventions to leverage convenience to improve diet and nutrition outcomes. We conducted a systematic literature review to determine how convenience is both defined and measured in food environment and nutrition research. Six databases were systematically searched and studies were screened by two independent reviewers based on pre-defined eligibility criteria, yielding 243 studies for inclusion in the final review. 77% of studies did not explicitly define convenience. Among those that did, the dimensions and components within definitions varied. 83% of studies used perceived measures of convenience rather than objective measures. Convenience was most commonly measured in high income countries (64%) and in relation to the home food environment (53%), followed by formal retail (40%). Very few studies measured convenience in relation to the informal retail or cultivated food environments, and no studies considered convenience in relation to wild food environments. The vast majority of studies did not consider the validity or reliability of the measures of convenience. Based on our findings we propose a definition of convenience as a characteristic that results in reduced requirement for resources including time, physical effort, mental effort and skills by the consumer in relation to the planning, acquisition, preparation, storage, transport, consumption or clean-up of food. This definition can be used to help guide the development of measurement tools that can be used to assess convenience across different dimensions and contexts in a more comprehensive way. We also propose a framework for considering convenience as an entry point in food systems to improve diets and nutrition outcomes.

Multi-attribute temporal descriptive methods in sensory analysis applied in food science: A systematic scoping review

Among descriptive sensory evaluation methods, temporal methods have a wide audience in food science because they make it possible to follow perception as close as possible to the moment when sensations are perceived. The aim of this work was to describe 30 years of research involving temporal methods by mapping the scientific literature using a systematic scoping review. Thus, 363 research articles found from a search in Scopus and Web of Science from 1991 to 2022 were included. The extracted data included information on the implementation of studies referring to the use of temporal methods (details related to subjects, products, descriptors, research design, data analysis, etc.), reasons why they were used and the conclusions they allowed to be drawn. Metadata analysis and critical appraisal were also carried out. A quantitative and qualitative synthesis of the results allowed the identification of trends in the way in which the methods were developed, refined, and disseminated. Overall, a large heterogeneity was noted in the way in which the temporal measurements were carried out and the results presented. Some critical research gaps in establishing the validity and reliability of temporal methods have also been identified. They were mostly related to the details of implementation of the methods (e.g., almost no justification for the number of consumers included in the studies, absence of report on panel repeatability) and data analysis (e.g., prevalence of use of exploratory data analysis, only 20% of studies using confirmatory analyses considering the dynamic nature of the data). These results suggest the need for general guidelines on how to implement the method, analyze and interpret data, and report the results. Thus, a template and checklist for reporting data and results were proposed to help increase the quality of future research.

PO2/TransformON, an ontology for data integration on food, feed, bioproducts and biowaste engineering

We are witnessing an acceleration of the global drive to converge consumption and production patterns towards a more circular and sustainable approach to the food system. To address the challenge of reconnecting agriculture, environment, food and health, collections of large datasets must be exploited. However, building high-capacity data-sharing networks means unlocking the information silos that are caused by a multiplicity of local data dictionaries. To solve the data harmonization problem, we proposed an ontology on food, feed, bioproducts, and biowastes engineering for data integration in a circular bioeconomy and nexus-oriented approach. This ontology is based on a core model representing a generic process, the Process and Observation Ontology (PO2), which has been specialized to provide the vocabulary necessary to describe any biomass transformation process and to characterize the food, bioproducts, and wastes derived from these processes. Much of this vocabulary comes from transforming authoritative references such as the European food classification system (FoodEx2), the European Waste Catalogue, and other international nomenclatures into a semantic, world wide web consortium (W3C) format that provides system interoperability and software-driven intelligence. We showed the relevance of this new domain ontology PO2/TransformON through several concrete use cases in the fields of process engineering, bio-based composite making, food ecodesign, and relations with consumer's perception and preferences. Further works will aim to align with other ontologies to create an ontology network for bridging the gap between upstream and downstream processes in the food system.

Antifungal Activity and Alleviation of Salt Stress by Volatile Organic Compounds of Native Pseudomonas Obtained from Mentha piperita

As salt stress has a negative impact on plant growth and crop yield, it is very important to identify and develop any available biotechnology which can improve the salt tolerance of plants. Inoculation with plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is a proven environmentally friendly biotechnological resource for increasing the salt stress tolerance of plants and has a potential in-field application. In addition, bacterial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) are signal molecules that may have beneficial roles in the soil-plant-microbiome ecosystem. We investigated the effects of mVOCs emitted by Pseudomona putida SJ46 and SJ04 on Mentha piperita grown under different levels of NaCl stress by evaluating their growth-promoting potential and capacity to increase salt tolerance effects. Furthermore, we evaluated under control and salt stress conditions the biocontrol ability of VOCs emitted by both these strains to inhibit the growth of Alternaria alternata and Sclerotium rolfsii. The VOCs emitted by both strains under control conditions did not lead to an significant improvement in peppermint growth. However, under salt stress conditions (75 or 100 mM NaCl), an amelioration of its physiological status was observed, with this effect being greater at 100 mM NaCl. This led to an enhancement of the number of leaves and nodes and, increased the shoot fresh and root dry weight by approximately twice in relation to control stressed plants. Moreover, the VOCs released by the two bacteria grown in control or saline media showed a significant reduction in the mycelial growth of A. alternata. In contrast, S. rolfsii growth was reduced 40% by the mVOCs released only under control conditions, with no effects being observed under salt stress. We also explored the composition of the bacterial volatile profiles by means of a solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS) analysis. From the headspace of SJ46, three VOCs were identified: n-octanol, decane and tetradecane. The emission of SJ04 had the same chromatographic profile, with the addition of two more compounds: 1-(N-phenyl carbamyl)-2-morpholino cyclohexene and tridecane. Only compounds that were not present in the headspace of the control groups were recorded. The salt stress conditions where the bacteria were grown did not qualitatively modify the mVOC emissions. Taken together, our results suggest that plant-associated rhizobacterial VOCs play a potentially important role in modulating plant salt tolerance and reducing fungal growth. Thus, biological resources represent novel tools for counteracting the deleterious effects of salt stress and have the potential to be exploited in sustainable agriculture. Nevertheless, future studies are necessary to investigate technological improvements for bacterial VOC application under greenhouse and open field conditions.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the food choice questionnaire (FCQ) and food choice motives among the study samples

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the food choice questionnaire (FCQ) and determine food choice motives among different study subgroups.

DESIGN

This cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered questionnaires, including socio-demographic information and body weight and height data. In addition, study samples were asked to complete the Persian version of the FCQ.

SETTING

Educational and medical centers under the coverage of the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran.

PARTICIPANTS

Study samples were 871 adults (60.5% female) selected using a convenience sampling method.

RESULTS

Mean±SD age and BMI were 33.4±10.7 years and 24.3±5.2 kg/m2, respectively. More than one-third of the study samples were overweight/obese (35.8%). A 9-structure model including 32 items of the original FCQ showed acceptable fit indices as follows: χ2/df= 3.39, GFI= 0.905, IFI= 0.92, CFI= 0.92, RMSEA(90%CI)=0.052(0.049-0.055). Regarding food choice motives, the three most important motives for food choice ranked by study samples were Sensory appeal, Natural Content, and health, respectively. Study samples ranked ethical concern as the least important food choice motive.

CONCLUSION

These findings support the reliability and validity of the Iranian version of the FCQ. Additionally, results indicate the most important motives for food choice across various socio-demographic and weight status groups which can provide beneficial information for marketing practices in Iran and promote the food choices of Iranians.

Nutritional behavior and motives of college students for the choice of traditional food in the Republic of Serbia

The aim of this study was to investigate the eating behavior of college students and the reasons for consuming traditional food and to compare the motives for choosing traditional food with the research conducted in 6 European countries. This research was conducted using anonymous online questionnaires. The majority of surveyed students are physically active (75%) and live with their families (57.0%), which can have a positive impact on their diet and a lower level of consumption of “fast-food” (17.5%). Respondents have bad habits in terms of consuming cigarettes (65.0%), alcohol (73.0%) and energy drinks (75.0%). Most students consume all regular meals (73.0%). Based on the Body Mass Index (BMI) of respondents, they belong to the categories: underweight (12%), normal weight (34%), pre-weight (17%), obese (37%); however, 55.0% believed to have “ideal weight”. The reasons for choose particular food are: it is not genetically modified, it tastes good, it is nutritious, it makes them happy, it was produced/packaged in an environmentally friendly and ethical way, while the price of food is not important. Connection with family (81%) and food being tasty (54%) are the main reasons for consuming traditional food. When buying traditional food, respondents (59%) generally do not check the declaration on the product. These results indicate the need to educate students about the harmfulness of cigarettes, alcoholic and energy drinks, the importance of BMI and declaration on the product. Comparing obtained results with the results in 6 European countries it can be noticed that the answers of the respondents in Serbia were the most similar to those obtained in Poland.

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Respondents have bad habits in consuming cigarettes, alcohol and energy drinks.

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Most students consume all regular meals.

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Most respondents do not understand the significance of Body Mass Index.

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One of the main factors in choosing food is that it is not genetically modified.

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Main reasons for consuming traditional food are connection with family and taste.

Can Multiple Attributes of Vegan Restaurants Affect the Behavioral Intentions by Customer Psychological Factors?

Over the past decade, there has been an increased interest in veganism in several nations across the world. In 2021, there were around 79 million vegans. While veganism is growing, it still covers only 1% of the global population. But if the diet keeps its steady growth rate, it's predicted to increase to one in 10 people within the next 10 years. However, in addition to the traditional, though poorly studied, multiple attributes ascribed to vegan restaurants, there may be other factors influencing the approach intentions of vegan restaurant customers. Within this context, this study investigated the psychological resilience associated with customer engagement (identification, enthusiasm, attention, absorption, and interaction) with the vegan movement for Korean vegan customers. The analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 22.0. The results revealed that numerous attributes ascribed to vegan restaurants positively affected customer engagement, especially identification, and strongly influenced psychological resilience as well. However, the identification customer engagement factor did not significantly affect the approach intentions of vegan restaurant customers. The study results suggested that when eliciting customer engagement to increase approach intentions toward vegan restaurants, it is necessary to emphasize customer psychological resilience, enthusiasm, attention, absorption, and interaction. This study contributes to food and consumer behavior literature on the approach intentions toward vegan restaurants.

On-campus food environment, purchase behaviours, preferences and opinions in a Norwegian university community

OBJECTIVE

To assess the food environment at OsloMet, through the nutritional profile and processing level of available commercial foods and drinks, as well as to determine food-purchasing behaviours, preferences and opinions on the food environment, in order to identify whether interventions on campus need to be conducted.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional descriptive study.

SETTING

Pilestredet and Kjeller campus of OsloMet (Norway).

PARTICIPANTS

To analyse the nutritional profile of products offered at all food outlets (seven canteens, three coffee shops and two vending machines) at the main campuses three criteria were applied: those proposed by the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition, the UK nutrient profiling model and those of the Food and Drink Industry Professional Practices Committee Norway. In addition, products were classified by processing level, using the NOVA system. Food purchasing, food choice behaviours and opinions were analysed through a survey online, in which 129 subjects participated.

RESULTS

With regard to the first of the objectives, the combination of the above-mentioned criteria showed that 39·8 % of the products were 'unhealthy' and 85·9 % were 'ultra-processed'. Regarding the second objective, the most important determinants of food choice were taste, convenience, and cost and nutrition/health value. The most common improvements suggested were lowering the cost, improving the allergen information on labelling and increasing the variety of fresh and healthy foods.

CONCLUSIONS

A high proportion of the products offered were considered 'unhealthy' and highly processed. Interventions that improve food prices, availability and information on labelling would be well-received in this community.

Food Choice Motives and COVID-19 in Belgium

To investigate the main motives driving dietary intake changes potentially introduced by preventive measures to address the pandemic, an online survey, using a 36-item Food Choice Questionnaire applied for the period before (the year 2019) and during (2020–2021) the pandemic, was distributed between July and October 2021 among adult residents from Belgium. A total of 427 eligible respondents, the majority Dutch-speaking, were included for analyses. The importance of nine motives for food choices, including health, mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, price, weight control, familiarity and ethical concerns, was assessed by scoring from 1 to 5, and comparing mean scores from the during period with the before period. Sensory appeal was the most important food choice motive before (mean score of 4.02 ± 0.51) and during (3.98 ± 0.48) the pandemic. Convenience and health also ranked among the main motives, with health observed to become more important during the pandemic (3.69 ± 0.60 during vs. 3.64 ± 0.59 before). Additionally, mean scores of mood (3.41 ± 0.71 vs. 3.32 ± 0.58), natural content (3.35 ± 0.84 vs. 3.26 ± 0.85) and weight control (3.33 ± 0.79 vs. 3.25 ± 0.76) were significantly higher during as compared to before. The extent of change in the level of importance for natural content was smaller with increasing age, and for health larger for urban areas, but for other motives there were no significant differences across population subgroups. Changes in the level of importance were observed in both directions, while a moderate share of respondents declared no change, suggesting some persistence of food choice motives. Further activities within public health monitoring should be considered to fully understand the COVID-19 implications on food choice motives together with people’s food behaviors and consumption.

A dataset of food choice motives among adults consumers in Brazil: The use of Food Choice Questionnaire

The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) was applied to assess the motivations for daily food choices and associated factors in a Brazilian sample. Data were collected from January to July 2019 from 525 individuals over 18 years old recruited face-to-face in different places (e.g., university, public squares, health posts), using a convenient, intentional, and reasoned sampling. In addition to the FCQ, socioeconomic data were collected from printed questionnaires. Answers were given using a seven-point scale, ranging from (1) strongly disagree to (7) strongly agree. After Confirmatory factor analysis led to the rejection of the original FCQ structure, exploratory factor analysis was performed. Eight factors were extracted and named: nutritional composition, mood, health, sensory appeal, price, preparation convenience, familiarity, and purchase convenience. Other analyses were performed and led to a previously published discussion about food choice criteria hierarchy and associated factors. Researchers and practitioners can further use data from this survey in science and practice. These data can be useful for product development, nutritional counseling, and public health policies development. Furthermore, the FCQ is a widely used instrument, and comparisons between results obtained in different samples can bring meaningful contributions to the study of consumer behavior.

Food Purchase Behavior during The First Wave of COVID-19: The Case of Hungary

Coronavirus disease (SARSCoV-2) appeared in 2019 was confirmed as pandemic by the WHO on 11 March 2020. Stay-at-home order had an impact on consumers’ food purchase habits, as people around the world were able to leave their homes solely in extremely severe or urgent cases. In our research, we delve into the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on consumers’ food purchase habits. The research involved 3000 consumers during the first wave of coronavirus. The sample represents the Hungarian population by gender and age. To achieve the research goals, we applied multivariate statistical tools. The findings suggest that the pandemic could not change consumer attitude significantly, but the order of factors influencing purchases changed. Consumer motivation factors were organized into four well-distinguished factors: Healthy, domestic, and environmentally friendly choice; Usual taste and quality; Reasonable price; Shelf life. Due to the lack of outstanding data during segmentation, we developed four segments by hierarchical cluster analysis: Health- and environment-conscious women; Price sensitive young people; Taste-oriented men; Quality-oriented intellectuals. The results confirm that food manufacturers and traders need to be prepared for further restrictions in the future.

Consumer and food changes in Mexican households during maximal contingency in the COVID-19 pandemic

The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) rapidly expanded throughout the world affecting human life in the health, social, cultural, economic and environmental aspects. On an international scale, some works have addressed the importance of the agri-food topic during the pandemic, especially about food consumption. The Mexican case is particularly relevant since it is the country with the highest proportion of overweight people. The objective of this work was to know the choices and consumption of foods in Mexican households during the period of maximal contingency. An on-line questionnaire was responded by 867 volunteers who answered about the aspects taken in consideration in their food consumption, the changes in the consumption of certain foods and the socioeconomic and health aspects of the family. Four groups were identified: “Budget consumers”, “Hedonics”, “Price conscious” and “Conscious”. Changes in the attitudes to food are not related to the health state, overweight, or family size; but are related to income level of households and above all, to the education level. Results show an opportunity to change for healthier food habits in Mexico, mainly in the most vulnerable sectors.

Food Myths or Food Facts? Study about Perceptions and Knowledge in a Portuguese Sample

Food myths are nutritional concepts poorly justified or even contradict existing scientific evidence that individuals take as the truth. Knowledge in nutrition is an important tool in tackling misinformation and in the promotion of adequate food choices. This study aimed to investigate the beliefs and perceptions of a sample of the Portuguese population regarding a series of food myths and facts, evaluating, consequently, the level of knowledge and the main sources of information. The research was conducted on a sample of 503 participants, using a questionnaire disclosed online, by email, and social networks, between May and June of 2021. Thirty statements, some true and others false, were analyzed to assess people's perceptions. Based on the respondents' answers, a score was calculated for each statement, allowing to differentiate the correct (positive score) from incorrect (negative score) perceptions. The results showed that most statements obtained positive scores, corresponding to correct perceptions. Moreover, the level of knowledge was measured, being very high for 21.7% of the participants and high for 42.1%. The main sources where the participants acquire nutritional information are scientific journals (43.3%), website of the Portuguese General Health Office (DGS) (31.4%), and technical books (31.0%), which is concordant with the level of trust in these sources. Hence, it was concluded that, despite the levels of nutritional knowledge, there are still several food myths that need to be debunked, through the proper channels, in order to promote healthy, balanced, and adequate eating behaviors.

Sports Nutrition: Diets, Selection Factors, Recommendations

An athlete’s diet is influenced by external and internal factors that can reduce or exacerbate exercise-induced food intolerance/allergy symptoms. This review highlights many factors that influence food choices. However, it is important to remember that these food choices are dynamic, and their effectiveness varies with the time, location, and environmental factors in which the athlete chooses the food. Therefore, before training and competition, athletes should follow the recommendations of physicians and nutritionists. It is important to study and understand the nutritional strategies and trends that athletes use before and during training or competitions. This will identify future clinical trials that can be conducted to identify specific foods that athletes can consume to minimize negative symptoms associated with their consumption and optimize training outcomes.

Evaluation of the Food Choice Motives before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of 1232 Adults from Croatia

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic brought changes to almost every segment of our lives, including dietary habits. We present one among several studies, and the first on the Croatian population, aiming at investigating changes of food choice motives before and during the pandemic. The study was performed in June 2021 as an online-based survey, using a 36-item Food Choice Questionnaire applied for both the periods before and during the pandemic. The final sample consisted of 1232 adults living in Croatia. Sensory appeal was ranked as the number one most important food choice motive before, whereas health was ranked as the number one most important food choice motive during the pandemic. Ethical concern was reported as the least important food choice motive both before and during the pandemic. In women, natural content (p = 0.002), health, convenience, price, weight control, familiarity, and ethical concern (all p < 0.001) became more important during the pandemic, while price (p = 0.009), weight control, familiarity, and ethical concern (all p < 0.001) became more relevant for men. All together, these can be considered favorable changes toward optimal diets and may result in beneficial influences on health and lifestyle. Education strategies and efficiently tackling misinformation are prerequisites for informed food choice, which will ensure long-lasting positive effects of such changes.

Psycho-Behavioural Segmentation in Food and Nutrition: A Systematic Scoping Review of the Literature

Inadequate dietary intakes are a key modifiable risk factor to reduce the risk of developing non-communicable diseases. To encourage healthy eating and behaviour change, innovative public health interventions are required. Social marketing, in particular segmentation, can be used to understand and target specific population groups. However, segmentation often uses demographic factors, ignoring the reasons behind why people behave the way they do. This review aims to explore the food and nutrition related research that has utilised psycho-behavioural segmentation. Six databases from were searched in June 2020. Inclusion criteria were: published 2010 onwards, segmentation by psycho-behavioural variables, outcome related to food or nutrition, and healthy adult population over 18 years. 30 studies were included; most were quantitative (n = 28) and all studies used post-hoc segmentation methods, with the tools used to segment the population varying. None of the segments generated were targeted in future research. Psycho-behavioural factors are key in understanding people's behaviour. However, when used in post-hoc segmentation, do not allow for effective targeting as there is no prior understanding of behaviours that need to change within each segment. In future, we should move towards hybrid segmentation to assist with the design of interventions that target behaviours such as healthy eating.

Visible sugar : Salient sugar information impacts health perception of fruit juices but only when motivated to be responsible and not when motivated to enjoy

The present study explores when consumers recognize the high sugar content of fruit juice and refrain from choosing it for themselves or their families. Fruit juice may be typically perceived as a healthy drink, despite its often high sugar content. We investigate the role of salience of sugar information and enjoyment and responsibility goals in perception and choice of fruit juices. We argue that sugar information needs to be salient to prevent this health halo effect, but that consumers also need to be in a motivational state that promotes processing of this information. In three experiments (N = 801), we manipulate the salience of the sugar content using a salient sugar label (or no explicit sugar label) as well as the activation of different goals (to enjoy versus to be responsible, in the context of choices for self versus significant others). Utilising a newly designed fictitious juice brand, salient sugar labels are effective in significantly raising awareness of sugar content in study 1. Consumers primed for responsibility consider fruit juice with salient sugar information unhealthier as compared to those primed for enjoyment in study 2. Further, in study 3, parents primed for responsibility perceive fruit juice with salient sugar information as unhealthier and less appealing in comparison to parents primed for enjoyment. The effects of responsibility and enjoyment primes on health perceptions are stronger when people think of responsibility or enjoyment of food in the context of their families rather than themselves. We discuss implications for theorizing, beverage marketing, and public policy.

The Eating Motivations Scale (EATMOT): Development and Validation by Means of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM)

Introduction

The objective was to develop and validate an instrument that measures different determinants of people’s food choices and simultaneously accounts for a variety of factors: health, emotions, price and availability, society and culture, environment and politics, and marketing and advertising.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study focusing on food choice determinants. It was carried out in 16 countries in 2017 and 2018. This study included 11,960 volunteer adult participants from different countries. The data was validated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM).

Results

Validation using CFA with SEM revealed that multi-factor modelling produced first- and second-order models that could be used to define the EATMOT scale, the first presenting better fitting indices, with the goodness-of-fit and comparative-fit indices very close to 1, as well as root-mean-square-error-of-approximation, root-mean-square-residual and standardised-root-mean-square-residual at practically zero.

Conclusion

The validated EATMOT scale guarantees confidence in the information obtained through this instrument, and can be used in future studies to better understand food choice determinants in different geographical areas and help plan strategies to improve healthy eating patterns and diminish the burden of non-communicable diseases.

Socio-economic Variables Associated with Motivational Barriers of Food Choice among Lactating Women from Central Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Study

Understanding the drivers of food choice is essential to guide the nutrition interventions and tailor nutrition counseling messages. There is strong evidence from a published study, which demonstrate attention for the need to consider the wide range of drivers during food choice. Due to the large variety of food products on the market, consumers make a multitude of food choice daily. The study aimed to assess major motivational drivers of food choice among randomly selected lactating women aged 15-49 years (423) from Debrebirhan Town using face to face interview. Logistic regression analysis was used to find association b/socio-economic variables and motivational drivers of food choice using SPSS version 20. Candidate variables were selected and transferred using the P- a value of less than 0.25, and AOR was reported. Variables with a P-value less than 0.05 on multiple variable logistic regressions were taken as significant variables. Influences of religion, price, preparation convenience, health value and taste during food choice were responded by above half of women. From logistic regression, 15-25 years' age and self-employed were linked to religious influence in food choice with AOR (95%CI) of 0.09(0.01-0.48) and 4.13(1.4-12.24). Age (15-25 and 26-35 years), education (no, primary and secondary) and being housewife were associated to choosing of foods for their health value with AOR (95%CI) of 0.26(0.12-0.6), 0.37(0.18-0.76), 0.14(0.04-0.42), 0.25(0.13-0.54), 0.33(0.17-0.66) and 2.5(1.23-5). Only family size (2-4 vs.>4 persons) was associated with price concern in food choice with AOR (95%CI) of 0.39(0.21-0.71). Being divorced, husband headed, 7-12 and13-18 month lactation period, 15-25 and 26-35 years' age were related to preparation convenience of foods with AOR (95%CI) of 5.94(1.13-31.33), 0.42(0.18-0.96), 3.26(1.34-7.93), 4.4(1.81-10.72), 0.16(0.05-0.47) and 0.25(0.11-0.59). Self-management approaches by nutrition education and promotion to change eating behaviors of women, increasing supply and price regulation toward healthy foods are recommended.

Developing and Validating Food Choice Determinants Questionnaire: An Instrument for Exploring Food Choice Determinants in Iran

Background:

This study was carried out to design and validate a questionnaire to measure the majority of factors influencing food choices among adults in Iran.

Methods:

A sequential exploratory mixed-method approach was applied to develop the initial item pool of the Food Choice Determinants Questionnaire (FCDQ) starting with a qualitative study to explore the food choice dimensions and its components. Designing the initial questionnaire using these dimensions and the 36-item Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) was then performed. The face, content, and construct validity were also assessed. The construct validity of the questionnaire was assessed using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Cronbach's alpha was applied for each main theme to examine the internal consistency.

Results:

After content and face validity process, a 60-item FCDQ was developed with total items' content validity index (CVI) of 0.69 indicating a reasonable level. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for each of the six constructs in the scale have shown satisfactory internal consistency.

Conclusions:

This instrument is valid and reliable to measure food choice determinants in adults and could be applied to design interventions aiming to better food choice.

Perception of beef quality for Spanish and Brazilian consumers

Understanding the priorities of beef consumers is important for planning strategies to attract and maintain each customer. Using self-administered interviews with Spanish and Brazilian adults who regularly consume beef, we analyzed their purchasing behaviors in relation to their perceptions and priorities regarding beef quality that guide their choices. The current study identifies the influences of information (labeling and marketing) requirements, concerns about humane production systems, and the intrinsic characteristics of beef. To evaluate the data extracted from the interviews, the questions were grouped into four main factors. While extrinsic factors are the highest valued in both Spain and Brazil, those such as beef freshness and tenderness present inverse concerns between the two countries based on cultural dissimilarities. The data also reveals a clear symmetry among consumers who increasingly seek specific pre-purchase information and products with guaranteed superior quality. Despite other characteristics that differentiate developed and developing countries, the perceptions of quality among consumers in Spain and Brazil are decidedly similar.

Consumer preference for dried mango attributes: A conjoint study among Dutch, Chinese, and Indonesian consumers

Abstract

One way to add value to tropical fruit and increase its availability in the global market is to develop new, less perishable, products from fresh fruit. The purpose of this study is to compare the perception of key quality attributes and preferences of dried mango between consumers with different familiarity and health consciousness. This study surveyed respondents from China, Indonesia, and the Netherlands via an adaptive choice‐based conjoint method (n = 483) to evaluate intrinsic quality attributes that influenced consumer preference for dried mango. Consumers in different countries have different texture, taste, and color preferences for dried mango. The most important attribute for the Dutch and Chinese was “free from extra ingredients”, while for Indonesians, it was the texture. Familiarity with dried mango and health consciousness do not influence consumer preference of intrinsic attributes of dried mango. Different preferences of intrinsic attributes of dried mango between countries are related to cultural differences. This study provides useful insights for food manufacturers into the significance of key intrinsic quality attributes in developing dried mango.

Practical Application

Intrinsic quality parameters of dried mango are not perceived in the same way by every consumer and this is related to cultural differences. Crispy texture is important only for Indonesian consumers, while “free from extra ingredients” is the most important for Dutch and Chinese consumers. This information is relevant when developing dried mango products for the respective markets.

Population-Based Study of the Changes in the Food Choice Determinants of Secondary School Students: Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

During the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the lockdown, various changes of dietary habits are observed, including both positive and negative ones. However, the food choice determinants in this period were not studied so far for children and adolescents. The study aimed to analyze the changes in the food choice determinants of secondary school students in a national sample of Polish adolescents within the Polish Adolescents' COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study population. The study was conducted in May 2020, based on the random quota sampling of schools (for voivodeships and counties) and a number of 2448 students from all the regions of Poland participated. The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) (36 items) was applied twice-to analyze separately current choices (during the period of COVID-19 pandemic) and general choices (when there was no COVID-19 pandemic). For both the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, sensory appeal and price were indicated as the most important factors (with the highest scores). However, differences were observed between the scores of specific factors, while health (p < 0.0001) and weight control (p < 0.0001) were declared as more important during the period of COVID-19 pandemic, compared with the period before, but mood (p < 0.0001) and sensory appeal (p < 0.0001) as less important. The observations were confirmed for sub-groups, while female and male respondents were analyzed separately. It can be concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic may have changed the food choice determinants of Polish adolescents, as it may have increased the importance of health and weight control, but reduced the role of mood and sensory appeal. This may be interpreted as positive changes promoting the uptake of a better diet than in the period before the pandemic.

Factors Underlying Food Choice Motives in a Brazilian Sample: The Association with Socioeconomic Factors and Risk Perceptions about Chronic Diseases

This study aimed to evaluate the food choice motives in a sample in Brazil and to identify how socioeconomic characteristics and risk perceptions about chronic diseases and weight gain affect these motives. The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) is an instrument to analyze the motivations for food choice. The FCQ was completed by 525 adult individuals in Brazil. The participants were asked about their perceived risk of gaining weight, developing diabetes, and hypertension. Confirmatory factor analysis led to the rejection of the original FCQ structure, and, after exploratory factor analysis, 30 items of the FCQ were maintained in eight factors: Nutritional Composition, Preparation Convenience, Purchase Convenience, Mood, Sensory Appeal, Health, Price, and Familiarity. Sensory Appeal and Familiarity were, respectively, the most and the least important factors involved in food choices in this sample. A high education level, high income, age, and female sex positively affected FCQ factors (except for the Price factor). On the basis of FCQ scores, we defined five clusters: Health Driven, Practicality Concerned, Shape Concerned, Food Concerned, and Cooking Enthusiasts. In general, individuals were optimistic regarding the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and gaining weight, especially those from the Shape Concerned cluster. The differences in food choice motives presented here reinforce the existence of different niches of food consumption. Different types of products can attract specific target groups at the time of choice.

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).

Changing food preferences among a former hunter-gatherer group in Namibia

The purpose of this study was to identify, describe and conceptualize the present drivers of food choices and preferences of the Khwe San indigenous peoples by considering influences of their historical and cultural contexts. Data were collected in Eastern Bwabwata National Park in Namibia using a range of qualitative methods: semi-structured and structured interviews and free listing. The various drivers of food choices have been clustered into four levels of the ecological conceptual framework. Key factors, found to be driving participants' food choices, were the following: taste, hunger, health, familiarity and body satisfaction at the individual level; culture and food taboos at the social level; access to food and food storage at the physical level, and; cost and seasonality at the macro level. Many of these factors are directly related to food insecurity and previous experiences of hunger. Current preferences towards traditional foods existed but were not prevailing among all the participants. Interviews with the elderly revealed the historical context of the increasing exposure to modern foods and a contested access to traditional foods and traditional knowledge transmission. Our findings exposed some substantial gaps in the nutritional knowledge of the Khwe that need consideration by future health promotion strategies along with the current perceptions of local food choices. Ensuring access and promoting sustainable management of traditional foods would not only contribute to the health of the Khwe people but also help to maintain a nutritional safety net in their current situation of extreme poverty.

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.

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.

Measuring eating motives in older adults with and without functional impairments with The Eating Motivation Survey (TEMS)

Gaining a better understanding which motives play a role in daily eating is crucial in order to develop personalized interventions promoting adequate diet. The Eating Motivation Survey (TEMS) is a comprehensive tool to assess manifold reasons for eating but has not been specifically applied in an older sample including very old persons and persons differing in functional status. Therefore, the first step of the study was to investigate whether the basic motives of TEMS are consistent in an older sample and comparable across older adults with and without functional impairments. Second, the study aimed at describing which motives underlie eating behavior in older age most often as well as to analyze the relationship between eating motives and functional status. 376 community-dwelling older persons aged 70 years and older filled in the brief survey version (15 motives à 3 items) of TEMS. The sample comprises 149 unimpaired and 227 impaired participants in terms of physical function. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded good model fit with RMSEA 0.036 and SRMR 0.048. Furthermore, multi-group analysis revealed a generally invariant factor structure across participants with and without functional impairments. Liking was rated to underlie eating behavior most often, followed by Health and Natural Concerns. Considering gender, age and BMI, significant associations between functional status and the motive Sociability emerged. Since the results suggest that the fifteen basic eating motives are generalizable in older age and across different functional states, TEMS might be a valuable tool in nutrition-related health promotion to developing individualized approaches considering health aspects as well as hedonistic factors.

Development of a Questionnaire to Assess People’s Food Choices Determinants

Background:

Diet and nutrition are major determinants of public health and are associated with a large number of diseases. Therefore, in order to plan actions to promote global health, it is crucial to understand people’s food choices.

Objective:

The aim of this study was the development and validation of a new instrument, a questionnaire to measure psycho-social motivations associated with food choices and eating practices.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken on a non-probabilistic sample of 382 adult participants. The questionnaires were applied after informed consent only to adults (aged 18 or over) and the data were collected from January to April 2017 among the Portuguese population. The analysis has been conducted to explore the item-item correlation and the reliability of this new instrument.

Results:

The results indicated satisfactory correlations between the items of the different variables, except for Variable D (Social and cultural motivations) that did not show strong and significant correlations for almost any items. Considering all the items in each of the variables studied, Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.32 for the marketing and commercial motivations to 0.64 for the economical and availability motivations. When some items were removed from the variables, the values of Cronbach’s alpha increased and ranged from 0.66 for social and cultural motivations to 0.79 for health motivations.

Conclusion:

This work suggested that this questionnaire could be considered a suitable tool for exploring food choice determinants.

Delay discounting and its association with food purchasing considerations and food availability in the home in south-east Alabama, USA

Objective

Certain factors, such as food quality, label content and grocery characteristics, may be considered when purchasing foods. Food availability in the home has been shown to influence dietary behaviours, also associated with delay discounting (DD). The present study sought to characterize the relationships between DD, food purchasing considerations and healthfulness of foods in the home.

Design

A cross-sectional, online survey of adults (n 477) was conducted with the following measures: DD, consideration of food quality (nutrition, taste) and grocery characteristics (price, ease of preparation, shelf-life) while shopping, use of food labels and food availability in the home. DD was assessed by the area under the delay discounting curve (AUC) using a binary choice task. Greater AUC reflects lower DD. Structural equation modelling was used to allow AUC to simultaneously predict purchasing considerations and foods in the home.

Setting

Online survey.

Participants

Adult employees in south-east Alabama, USA.

Results

DD was negatively associated with food label use and emphasis on food quality when shopping (P<0·001). In the final model, DD was associated with availability of healthful foods in the home and emphasis on food quality and grocery characteristics. About 33 % of the variance in shopping behaviours, 5 % in food label use, 7 % in availability of healthful foods and 4 % in availability of unhealthful foods was explained by DD.

Conclusions

Individuals with lower DD appear to be more thoughtful in making food purchasing decisions and have healthful foods available in the home more frequently than individuals with higher DD.

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.

Mining online activity data to understand food consumption behavior: A case of Asian fish sauce among Japanese consumers

Internet search engines and online recipe repositories have become increasingly popular resources among households for recipes and meal planning. Meanwhile, fish sauce's distinct flavor makes it a popular condiment in Southeast Asian countries. Although fish sauce is used as a condiment for traditional cuisine in Japan, it is not popular for general household use. To understand the consumption behavior regarding fish sauce in Japanese households, we analyzed search trends for the words nampla (Thai fish sauce), nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce), and shottsuru (Japanese fish sauce) using Google's search engine and the Japanese online recipe site Cookpad. The results clearly indicate nampla's rising popularity due to the rapid spread of Thai cuisine and an annually increasing traditional consumption of Japanese fish sauce. These results provide insights into the household demand for fish sauce.

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.

Motivations for Food Consumption during Specific Eating Occasions in Turkey

Several studies in different countries have been conducted to investigate factors affecting food choices. The objective of this study was to understand the motivations of specific food and beverage choices for different eating occasions in a typical diet of the Turkish people. A convenience sample of 141 respondents from seven different geographical regions in Turkey completed an online survey questionnaire that included questions about demographic information and details about their latest eating occasion. Respondents reported all of their motivations for choosing each food/beverage item reported for that specific eating occasion. Results indicated that different motivations played different roles in food choices of people in Turkey. Liking was a key characteristic for all eating occasions, but key natural concerns were even more important at breakfast, and need and hunger were more important for a mid-afternoon snack. Lunch involved additional motivations such as Sociability, Variety Seeking, and Social Norms. In addition to Liking, choices of different food groups were also driven by other motivations such as Habits, Convenience, Need and Hunger, Natural Concerns, and Health. This study helped better understand the current dietary patterns of Turkish people as well as the motives underlying their choices of foods and beverages for different meals and snacks. These findings could be useful for dietary campaigns that aim to improve eating behaviors in Turkey.