Attitudes toward and Beliefs about Nutrition and Health among a Nationally Representative Sample of Irish Adults: Application of Logistic Regression Modelling

Responsiveness to warning sensations and anxiety-related psychological traits modulate individual differences in preference for vegetable foods with varied sensory properties

The innate aversion to warning sensations is an important barrier to the acceptance of vegetable food often characterized by bitter and sour tastes, and astringency. Large individual variations exist in preference for this food category. The present study aimed at exploring differences in demographics, anthropometrics, taste responsiveness, personality traits and attitudes in consumers differing in their preference for vegetable food with varied levels of warning sensations. A panel of Italian consumers (n = 718; 53.6% women, age 18-74 years) self-reported familiarity with, preference for and choice of vegetables with high and low levels of warning sensations. Two clusters were identified: High Warning-Vegetable Consumers (HWVC, n = 464) and Low-Warning Vegetable Consumers (LWVC, n = 254). HWVC showed higher familiarity with and preference for vegetables as a whole and higher choice of vegetables characterized by warning sensations than LWVC. HWVC were more represented by older and normal weight individuals as compared to LWVC. Differences among clusters in liking for and perception of a phenol-enriched plant-based food model specifically developed to induce different levels of bitterness, sourness and astringency were found. HWVC rated bitterness, sourness, and astringency lower and liking higher than LWVC. Scores in anxiety-related psychological traits were lower while attitudes to healthy and high-quality food choice were higher in HWVC than in LWVC. The results of the present study depicted a coherent interplay among several person-related dimensions in modulating preference for vegetable foods. Higher responsiveness to warning sensations, higher level of anxiety-related traits, lower importance assigned to food healthy/quality aspects and younger age all acted as barriers to exposure and acceptance of vegetable food and call for a multidimensional approach to promote the consumption of this food category.

The creation of a healthy eating motivation score and its association with food choice and physical activity in a cross sectional sample of Irish adults

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to develop a healthy eating motivation score and to determine if dietary, lifestyle and activity behaviours vary across levels of motivation to eat a healthy diet with a view to informing health promotion interventions.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of food intake, physical activity, lifestyles and food choice attitudes was conducted in a nationally representative sample of 1262 adults in the Republic of Ireland aged 18 years and over.

RESULTS

Increasing score for health motivation was significantly and positively related to healthy eating and exercise. Women, increasing age, normal BMI, regular exercise and increasing intakes of fruit and vegetables were associated with a higher odds ratio (OR) for having a high healthy eating motivation score. However, despite a high motivation score only 31% of consumers in the strong motivation group achieved the recommendations for daily fruit and vegetable consumption, while 57% achieved the fat recommendation. A higher intake of calorie dense foods from the top shelf of the food pyramid and increased time spent watching T.V. was associated with a decreased OR for positive motivation towards healthy eating.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthy eating promotions directed at women and older adults should focus on supporting people's motivations to attain a healthy diet by addressing issues such as dietary self-control and self-regulation. For men and younger adults, healthy eating promotions will need to address the issues underlying their weak attitudes towards healthy eating.

Contribution of psychosocial factors to the association between socioeconomic position and takeaway food consumption

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether psychosocial factors mediate (explain) the association between socioeconomic position and takeaway food consumption.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional postal survey conducted in 2009.

SETTING

Participants reported their usual consumption of 22 takeaway food items, and these were grouped into a "healthy" and "less healthy" index based on each items' nutritional properties. Principal Components Analysis was used to derive three psychosocial scales that measured beliefs about the relationship between diet and health (α = 0.73), and perceptions about the value (α = 0.79) and pleasure (α = 0.61) of takeaway food. A nutrition knowledge index was also used. Socioeconomic position was measured by highest attained education level.

SUBJECTS

Randomly selected adults (n = 1,500) aged between 25-64 years in Brisbane, Australia (response rate  =  63.7%, N = 903).

RESULTS

Compared with those with a bachelor degree or higher, participants with a diploma level of education were more likely to consume "healthy" takeaway food (p = 0.023) whereas the least educated (high school only) were more likely to consume "less healthy" choices (p = 0.002). The least educated were less likely to believe in a relationship between diet and health (p<0.001), and more likely to have lower nutritional knowledge compared with their highly educated counterparts (p<0.001). Education differences in beliefs about the relationship between diet and health partly and significantly mediated the association between education and "healthy" takeaway food consumption. Diet- and health-related beliefs and nutritional knowledge partly and significantly mediated the education differences in "less healthy" takeaway food consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions that target beliefs about the relationship between diet and health, and nutritional knowledge may reduce socioeconomic differences in takeaway food consumption, particularly for "less healthy" options.

Relationship between attitudes towards healthy eating and dietary behaviour, lifestyle and demographic factors in a representative sample of Irish adults

Attitudes towards healthy eating were explored according to dietary, lifestyle and socio-demographic correlates in a random sample of 1256 Irish adults. Data were obtained from an Irish cross-sectional survey (1997-1999). A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain attitudinal information. Food consumption was estimated using a 7-d food diary. A majority of the sample had a positive attitude or motivation towards their healthy eating behaviour. Those who perceived their own eating habits to be healthy were more likely to comply with current dietary guidelines than those who did not. Females, increasing age, higher social class, tertiary education, non-smokers, lower body-weights and increased recreational activity were associated with a lower odds ratio (OR) for having a negative attitude towards their healthy eating behaviour. An increased intake (g/d) of breakfast cereals, vegetables, fruit and poultry dishes were associated with decreased OR for negative attitudes towards their healthy eating behaviour, while an increased intake of high-calorie beverages (g/d) was associated with an increased OR. It can be concluded that attitudes or motivation towards eating healthily was related to measured dietary and lifestyle behaviour in this sample. Future research is warranted to devise appropriate methods of instituting attitude change towards dietary behaviour in certain subgroups of the population.

A descriptive narrative of healthy eating: a social marketing approach using psychographics in conjunction with interpersonal, community, mass media and new media activities

This paper explores the profile of healthy and unhealthy eating consumers in terms of demographic, psychographic and communicative variables. Data from 3,388 respondents to the 1999 DDB Needham Life Style Study were analyzed. The results show the healthy eaters to be environmentally conscious and health-oriented, suggesting an underlying theme of personal and social responsibility. The communicative activities of healthy eaters demonstrate an information orientation while unhealthy eaters are more entertainment oriented. Practical and social implications are discussed for social marketers regarding target segmentation and message design.

Nutritional knowledge and concerns about meat of elderly French people in the aftermath of the crises over BSE and foot-and-mouth

The aim of this study was to compare elderly people with young adults in France for nutritional knowledge and concerns about meat in the aftermath of the rises with bovine spongiform encephalopathy and foot-and-mouth disease. Between March and April 2001, 99 healthy elderly people and 93 younger adults living in France were interviewed. Most of the elderly and young participants knew that meat contains proteins but were unaware of the role of proteins in body metabolism. The elderly knew that meat also contains iron and vitamins and is necessary for growth and for physical activity. However, elderly people had little awareness of the importance of consuming meat and were convinced that they had to reduce meat consumption because of their lower physical activity. On the other hand, they knew more than younger adults about animal diseases and were less worried about 'mad cow disease'. Thus, although the elderly people were confident about the safety of meat and recognised its nutritional properties, they did not consider it to be an essential food.

Reaching unhealthy eaters: applying a strategic approach to media vehicle choice

Founded upon the argument that unhealthy eaters need to be reached through strategic choices that are driven by adequate formative research, this article examines the media consumption patterns of unhealthy eaters. Based on an analysis of the 1999 Lifestyle data, the article points out that healthy and unhealthy eaters differ systematically in their media choices. While television news is the most effective channel for reaching healthy eaters, television sports and entertainment-oriented Internet are the two major media categories consumed by the unhealthy eater. Also, healthy eaters are more likely to be drawn to print media, suggesting that print-based healthy eating campaigns are unlikely to reach the at-risk group. The article recommends the exploration of alternative entertainment-oriented channels and content strategies to effectively reach the unhealthy eater.

A comparison of knowledge and attitudes about diet and health among 35- to 75-year-old adults in the United States and Geneva, Switzerland

OBJECTIVES

This study compared responses of US and Geneva residents to items on analogous questionnaires concerning knowledge and attitudes about diet and health.

METHODS

Comparable data were available from 2 population-based sample surveys: the Cancer Control Supplement of the 1987 National Health Interview Survey and the 1994 Bus Santé 2000 in Geneva, Switzerland. Samples included 10,366 US respondents and 698 Geneva respondents, aged 35 to 74 years. The analysis involved descriptive statistics, contingency tables, and linear regression models.

RESULTS

In both the United States and Geneva, health consciousness was greater among women and more highly educated persons than among other groups. Compared with Americans, Genevans assigned more importance to avoiding salt, sugar, and overweight (odds ratio = 1.6, 2.9, and 5.9, respectively) and less importance to lowering cholesterol (odds ratio = 0.6). Genevans were more likely to recognize the relatively high fiber content of lettuce, carrots, and apples. Recognition of low-fat foods was slightly better in the United States.

CONCLUSIONS

Knowledge and attitudes differed despite high general diet and health awareness in both populations. Identifying why generally similar dietary guidance messages are embraced to different extents across cultures may facilitate global implementation.

Sociodemographic determinants of perceived influences on food choice in a nationally representative sample of Irish adults

OBJECTIVE

To identify the most important motivations for food choice from the point of view of the consumer in the Irish population, and to characterize those subjects who do and do not regard nutrition as a significant consideration in food choice.

DESIGN

As part of a pan-European Union (EU) survey on consumer attitudes to food, nutrition and health, a quota-controlled, nationally representative sample of Irish adults (n = 1009) aged 15 years upwards, completed an interview-assisted, close-ended questionnaire. Subjects selected three factors, from a list of 15, which they believed had the greatest influence on their food choice.

SETTING

The interviews for the survey were conducted in subjects' homes.

RESULTS

'Quality/freshness of food' was the most frequently selected food choice factor (51%) followed by 'taste' (43%) and 'trying to eat a healthy diet' (36%). Female gender, increasing age and higher levels of education were found to be independent sociodemographic factors affecting the selection of 'trying to eat a healthy diet' as an important factor in food choice.

CONCLUSIONS

Although included in the top five most frequently selected factors affecting food choice, nutrition/healthy eating does not appear to have top priority for the majority of Irish adults. There are differences between the various sociodemographic groups within the population; males and younger subjects appear to require specific nutrition promotion messages.