Role of food choice motives in the socio-economic disparities in diet diversity and obesity outcomes in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: The increased prevalence of overweight and obesity, along with high diet diversity, is observed among higher socio-economic groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. One contributing factor to these observed variations is food choice motives. However, the role of these motives in explaining the observed differences has not been thoroughly explored in this context. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates whether there are significant differences in food choice motives among socio-economic groups and whether these variations can partly explain the socio-economic disparities in diet diversity and overweight and obesity outcomes. METHODS: This study utilizes cross-sectional data from four counties in Kenya: Kiambu, Murang'a, Uasin Gishu, and Nakuru. The survey employed a three-stage cluster sample design to gather data using structured questionnaires on food choice motives, diet diversity, and anthropometrics from 381 adults in 2022. The mediating effects of 8 food choice motives (health, mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, price, weight control, and familiarity) were analyzed using the Karlson-Holm-Breen method. RESULTS: The results show that individuals with higher household incomes place greater importance on health, mood, sensory, and weight concerns. The probability of an overweight and obesity outcome increases by 19% for a standard deviation change in the asset score, and by 8% for a standard deviation change in the years of schooling. Sensory motives significantly mediated these relationships. Sensory motives explained 29% of the income-BMI association and 30% of the education-BMI relationship. Higher education was also associated with increased diet diversity (ß = 0.36, P < 0.001) mediated by higher health and sensory concerns. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest significant differences in food choice motives among socio-economic groups, which contribute to outcomes such as overweight and obesity. Therefore, educational and other policies aimed at reducing obesity should also address food choice motives, while considering the disparities among socio-economic segments within populations.

Validity and reliability of the Persian version of food preferences questionnaire (Persian-FPQ) in Iranian adolescents.

The assessment of dietary intakes and habits using reliable and youth-specific measurement tools during adolescence is essential. The aim of the present study was to culturally adapt and investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the food preferences questionnaire (Persian-FPQ) among Iranian adolescents. This methodological cross-sectional study was conducted among 452 Persian-speaking adolescents, living in Isfahan, Iran. Translation of the FPQ was performed using forward-backward method. Intra Class Correlation (ICC) and Cronbach's α were used to assess test-retest reliability and internal consistency, respectively. Construct validity was investigated by using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Divergent validity was determined using correlation analysis with Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10). Known-group validity was assessed based on differences in mean food preference score between boys and girls and different categories of body mass index (BMI). The internal and external reliabilities for the Persian-FPQ were in the range of good to excellent in all domains (Cronbach's α: 0.76-0.96 and ICCs: 0.982-0.998). Boys had higher scores of food preferences than girls, indicating good known-group validity. Construct validity evaluated by EFA led to extraction of seven factors ("Vegetables", "Fruit", "Dairy", "Snacks", "Meat/Fish", "Starches" and "Miscellaneous foods"), explaining 37.8% of the variance. Divergent validity revealed significant negative correlations between five sub-scales of the Persian-FPQ and psychological distress. The Persian version of the FPQ is a reliable and valid instrument with applicability in a broad range of the population of Persian-speaking adolescents for assessing food preferences in community-based research projects.

Health Prompts Affect Consideration of Health but Not Intertemporal Preferences While Promoting Healthier Food Choices.

Diet-related diseases impact populations across the globe. While intertemporal preferences-a fundamental preference for the distribution of benefits across time-have been used to explain low-quality food choices, the recent literature proposes another cause: inattention to the future implications (or opportunity costs) of the options faced. Food choices tend to become habitual to conserve cognitive resources, rather than carefully modeling future health impacts. Both low discount rates for future benefits and attention to future health impacts predict healthier decisions. While intertemporal preferences are stable, attention may provide an opportunity to intervene in the decision process to promote healthier decisions. In this study, we test the impact of a simple message that highlights health during food choice on the healthiness of the foods chosen and on health consideration and intertemporal preferences. Our results show that actively considering health outcomes and lower discount rates lead to healthier food choices. We find that messaging increases the consideration of health outcomes during food choice but does not affect intertemporal preferences, suggesting that simple prompts may be an effective way to promote decisions balancing short- and long-term benefits by drawing attention to the overlooked opportunity costs of choices.

'Healthier options tend to get lost in the noise of online' - Australian shoppers' experiences with online grocery platforms.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to understand what influences parents' purchasing behaviours when shopping for groceries online and potential ways to improve the healthiness of online grocery platforms. DESIGN: We conducted semi-structured interviews, guided by the Marketing Mix framework. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data. SETTING: Online interviews were conducted with primary grocery shoppers. PARTICIPANTS: Parents (n 14) or caregivers (n 2) using online grocery platforms at least every 2 weeks. RESULTS: Most participants perceived purchasing healthy food when shopping for groceries online to be more challenging compared to in physical stores. They expressed concerns about the prominence of online marketing for unhealthy food. Participants from lower socio-economic backgrounds often depended on online supermarket catalogues to find price promotions, but healthy options at discounted prices were limited. Across socio-economic groups, fresh items like meat and fruit were preferred to be purchased instore due to concerns about online food quality.Participants believed online grocery platforms should make healthy foods more affordable and supported regulations on supermarket retailers to promote healthy options and limit unhealthy food promotion online. CONCLUSIONS: Participants had varied experiences with online grocery shopping, with both positive and negative aspects. Efforts to improve population diets need to include mechanisms to create health-enabling online grocery retail platforms. Government interventions to restrict marketing of unhealthy foods and promote marketing of healthy options on these platforms warrant investigation.

Effects of marketing claims on toddler food products on parents' product preferences, perceptions and purchasing intentions: an online experiment.

BACKGROUND: The retail market for toddler-specific packaged foods is growing. Many of these products are ultra-processed and high in nutrients of concern for health, yet marketed in ways that may make them appear wholesome. This study aims to assess parents' responses to claims on unhealthy, ultra-processed toddler food products and test whether removing such claims promotes more accurate product perceptions and healthier product preferences. METHODS: Parents of toddlers aged 12 to < 36 months (N = 838) were recruited for an online experiment testing four on-pack claim conditions: control (no claim); 'contains "good" ingredient'; 'free from "bad" ingredient'; and unregulated 'child-related' claim. Participants were randomly assigned to one condition, then viewed images of toddler food products that varied in nutrition content and the claims displayed. Participants completed tasks assessing product preferences (unhealthy product displaying claim vs. a healthier option with no claim, across four food categories (banana bars, strawberry snacks, blueberry yogurt snacks and veggie snacks)), purchase intentions and product perceptions. Poisson regression (count variable) and linear regression (continuous outcomes) analyses were employed to test for mean differences by marketing claim conditions. RESULTS: For the overall sample, brief exposure to 'free from "bad" ingredient' claims increased participant's intentions to purchase unhealthy food products for their toddlers, but there was no clear evidence that 'contains "good" ingredient' claims and 'child-related' claims significantly impacted parent's preferences, purchase intentions and perceptions of toddler foods. However, certain claims influenced particular parent subgroups. Notably, parents with three or more children chose more unhealthy products when these products displayed 'contains "good" ingredient' or 'free from "bad" ingredient' claims; the latter claims also promoted stronger purchase intentions and enhanced product perceptions among this subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that 'free from "bad" ingredient' claims on unhealthy toddler foods are of most concern, as they boost the appeal of these products to parents. 'Contains "good" ingredient' claims and 'child-related' claims showed limited effects in this study. Considering available evidence, we recommend claims should not be permitted on child-oriented foods, as they may promote inaccurate product perceptions and unhealthy product choices by parents, that can detract from their children's diets and health.

Neuroscience tools to study the effect of the presentation form on food-evoked emotion for senior population.

The elderly population holds significance among consumers because many of them experience alterations in taste and smell or suffer from physical disorders. These factors can lead to reduced food intake, malnutrition, and, consequently, serious health problems. Therefore, there is a need to develop tailored products for seniors, offering both nutrition and appealing foods with easily consumable textures. Among the various characteristics of food, appearance stands out as one of the most critical aspects influencing food preferences and choices. Surprisingly, there is limited knowledge about how food shape affects the holistic emotional responses of seniors. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of food shape on the emotional responses of seniors. This exploration involved the use of explicit methods, such as self-reported questionnaires, and implicit methods, including the measurement of skin conductance responses and facial expressions, as well as their combination. To achieve this goal, we enlisted the participation of 50 individuals (54 % women) from the senior population aged between 55 and 75 years. These participants evaluated two food products with identical sensory characteristics in terms of taste, texture, and flavor. However, these products differed in terms of their shape. We measured their degree of liking and emotional responses using a 7-point hedonic scale, EsSense25, in conjunction with galvanic skin response, and facial expressions, which served as representatives of behavioural and physiological responses. The multivariate analysis allowed to examine sample configurations by gender and establish associations between variables. The combination of implicit and explicit methods led to better discrimination of samples of the same category than the use of each of the methods independently. Although both samples elicited equivalent liking perceptions, they evoked distinct emotional responses, measured at cognitive, physiological, and behavioural levels. In general, men and women experienced different emotions while observing, smelling, handling, or consuming both samples, both consciously and unconsciously. This newfound knowledge could be valuable when designing food products for this demographic. The ultimate goal is to engage consumers and enhance their enjoyment of the food experience by offering more visually appealing food options.

Changes in the choice motive and emotional perception of chocolates in response to stress.

Although chocolates are often chosen for sensory pleasure, they are also selected to enhance mood and relieve emotional stress, or potentially chosen for its perceived health benefits if stress adversely affects physical well-being. This study aimed to investigate whether emotional stress influenced the motivations behind chocolate selection, subsequent liking, and emotional response. Participants were divided into a control group (n = 76) and a group with induced acute stress (n = 74). Stimuli were presented as dark chocolate packaging, each evoking sensory appeal, health, and emotional stress relief. Participants chose one stimulus from three options that they were most inclined to consume and evaluated the overall liking and emotional attributes of the stimuli. They also rated the overall liking and emotional attributes of three types of chocolates, each identical but paired with distinct stimuli. Their food attitudes were also assessed. Stress did not change the choice of stimuli, indicating that stress did not influence the motivation for chocolate selection. Instead, the choice of stimuli aligned with participants' food attitudes; those favoring sensory appeal and emotional stress relief prioritized pleasure in their usual food choices. Stress tended to increase liking and chocolate-associated positive emotions with sensory appeal, as opposed to others, to immediately alleviate negative emotions. The most robust motivation to consume chocolates was sensory pleasure, irrespective of stress, because of a preestablished association between sensory pleasure and mood enhancement.

Sensory, emotional, and appropriateness of plant- and meat-based burgers.

The plant-based meat alternative market is experiencing rapid growth. However, whether this growth extends to mainstream consumers will depend on the sensory profile, emotional profile, and situational appropriateness of these products. This study provides a sensory comparison between two plant-based burgers, one hybrid burger, and a conventional 100% ground beef burger. The sensory evaluation was carried out under blind and informed conditions using a between-subject design. Participants (n = 177) were asked to rate the appearance, flavor, odor, and texture of each product and indicate their overall liking. In addition, 26 sensory terms were evaluated using the rate-all-that-apply technique. The study also measured the emotional profile and the situational appropriateness elicited by each product using the check-all-that-apply technique. The results showed that (a) in the blind condition, there were no significant differences observed in overall liking across the four burgers; (b) the plant-based burger made with pea protein received the lowest overall liking score, and its evaluation was not positively influenced by product information disclosure; (c) providing product information influenced the perceived intensity of the attributes associated with meat; (d) discriminatory ability for emotions was higher in the informed condition; and (e) for the situational appropriateness, when prioritizing healthy eating, participants considered plant-based burgers more suitable than the groundbeef burger. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Our results demonstrate that product descriptions could have an impact on consumer acceptance of different meat burger alternatives. In order to launch successfull meat alternatives, product developers and communication marketing specialists should consider the extent to which these alternatives resemble regular meat products in terms of their sensory and emotional profiles and context of use.

Characteristics of built food environments associated with alternative protein food choices: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review contributes to the understanding of the characteristics of built food environments that may be associated with choices of alternative protein foods (APF). Using the built food environment typology proposed by Downs et al., we investigated various environmental structures (e.g., supermarkets, other retailers, farmers' markets, restaurants, schools, and online vendors) and the characteristics that may facilitate or hinder consumers' choices. For example, facilitators and barriers may refer to the physical characteristics of environmental structures, food presentation practices, the organizational strategies or policies operating in the setting, or the actions that retailers or consumers engage in while selling, serving, choosing, trying, or purchasing APF in these environmental structures. METHODS: A systematic review (PROSPERO database preregistration; no. CRD42023388700) was conducted by searching 13 databases for peer-reviewed journals focusing on the fields of economics and business, agriculture, medical sciences, and social sciences. Data searches, coding, and quality evaluations were conducted by at least 2 researchers. A total of 31 papers (36 original studies) were included. The risk of bias was evaluated with the Joanna Briggs Institute quality evaluation tool, with 24 publications presenting low risk of bias. RESULTS: The findings indicate that perceived and actual availability facilitate consumers' APF choices across a built food environment. Several barriers/facilitators were associated with APF choices in specific types of built food environments: the way food is presented in produce sections (supermarkets), consumer habits in terms of green and specialty shopping (grocery stores), and mismatches among retailer actions in regard to making APF available in one type of food environment structure (e-commerce) and consumers' preferences for APF being available in other food environment structures (supermarkets, grocery stores). The effect of a barrier/facilitator may depend on the APF type; for example, social norms regarding masculinity were a barrier affecting plant-based APF choices in restaurants, but these norms were not a barrier affecting the choice of insect-based APF in restaurants. CONCLUSIONS: Addressing barriers/facilitators identified in this review will help in developing environment-matching interventions that aim to make alternative proteins mainstream. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO database registration: #CRD42023388700.

The impact of healthy nutrition education based on traffic light labels on food selection, preference, and consumption in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Acute Coronary Syndrome is the most common heart disease and the most significant cause of death and disability-adjusted life years worldwide. Teaching a healthy eating style is one preventive measure to prevent the disease's recurrence. This study aimed to determine the effect of healthy nutrition education with the help of traffic light labels on food selection, preference, and consumption in patients with acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: This randomized, single-blinded clinical trial was conducted with 139 participants (66 in the intervention group and 73 in the control group) from January 2021 to August 2021 in Shaheed Rajaie Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The control group received standard training. The intervention group, besides this, received additional bedside training with an educational poster on traffic light labels from the research team during their final hospitalization days. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire on food selection, preference, and consumption. RESULTS: The Brunner-Munzel test showed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of selection (P = 0.127), preference (P = 0.852), and food consumption (P = 0.846) in the baseline, while after the intervention, there were significant differences in selection (P > 0.001), preference (P > 0.001), and consumption (p < 0.004). Comparing the difference between the two groups in the difference between the before and after scores for selection (p < 0.001), preference (p < 0.001), and food consumption (p = 0.011) with the Brunner-Munzel test indicated a significant difference in all outcome variables. CONCLUSIONS: Teaching healthy eating styles with the help of traffic light labels affected food selection, preference, and consumption and led to healthier diets in these patients. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical trial registration: It was prospectively registered in the Iran Clinical Trials Registration Center on this date 30/10/2020 (IRCT20200927048857N1).

Differential effects of high-fat diet on endocrine, metabolic and depressive-like behaviors in male and female rats.

The complications of obesity extend beyond the periphery to the central nervous system (CNS) and include an increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric co-morbidities like depressive illness. Preclinical studies support this concept, including studies that have examined the effects of a high-fat diet (HFD) on depressive-like behaviors. Although women are approximately two-fold more likely to develop depressive illness compared to men, most preclinical studies have focused on the effects of HFD in male rodents. Accordingly, the goal of this study was to examine depressive-like behaviors in male and female rats provided access to a HFD. In agreement with prior studies, male and female rats provided a HFD segregate into an obesity phenotype (i.e., diet-induced obesity; DIO) or a diet resistant (DR) phenotype. Upon confirmation of the DR and DIO phenotypes, behavioral assays were performed in control chow, DR, and DIO rats. In the sucrose preference test, male DIO rats exhibited significant decreases in sucrose consumption (i.e., anhedonia) compared to male DR and male control rats. In the forced swim test (FST), male DIO rats exhibited increases in immobility and decreases in climbing behaviors in the pre-test sessions. Interestingly, male DR rats exhibited these same changes in both the pre-test and test sessions of the FST, suggesting that consumption of a HFD, even in the absence of the development of an obesity phenotype, has behavioral consequences. Female rats did not exhibit differences in sucrose preference, but female DIO rats exhibited increases in immobility exclusively in the test session of the FST, behavioral changes that were not affected by the stage of the estrous cycle. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that access to a HFD elicits different behavioral outcomes in male and female rats.

"We know what we should be eating, but we don't always do that." How and why people eat the way they do: a qualitative study with rural australians.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that most people are aware of the importance of healthy eating and have a broad understanding regarding types of food that enhance or detract from health. However, greater health literacy does not always result in healthier eating. Andreasen's Social Marketing Model and Community-Based Social Marketing both posit that, in order to change health behaviours, it is crucial to understand reasons for current behaviours and perceived barriers and benefits to improved behaviours. Limited research has been conducted, however, that explores these issues with general populations. This study aimed to help address this gap in the evidence using a qualitative methodology. METHODS: Three group discussions were conducted with a total of 23 participants: (1) young women aged 18-24 with no children; (2) women aged 35-45 with primary school aged children; and (3) men aged 35-50 living with a partner and with pre- or primary school aged children. The discussions took place in a regional centre of Victoria, Australia. Transcriptions were thematically analysed using an inductive descriptive approach and with reference to a recent integrated framework of food choice that identified five key interrelated determinants: food- internal factors; food- external factors; personal-state factors; cognitive factors; and sociocultural factors. RESULTS: We found that food choice was complex, with all five determinants evident from the discussions. However, the "Social environment" sub-category of "Food-external factors", which included family, work, and social structures, and expectations (or perceived expectations) of family members, colleagues, friends, and others, was particularly prominent. Knowledge that one should practice healthy eating, which falls under the "Cognitive factor" category, while seen as an aspiration by most participants, was often viewed as unrealistic, trumped by the need and/or desire for convenience, a combination of Food-external factor: Social environment and Personal-state factor: Psychological components. CONCLUSIONS: We found that decisions regarding what, when, and how much to eat are seen as heavily influenced by factors outside the control of the individual. It appears, therefore, that a key to improving people's eating behaviours is to make it easy to eat more healthfully, or at least not much harder than eating poorly.

Daring to taste: The organisation of children's tasting practices during preschool lunches.

Tasting food is the first step toward diversifying eating habits, and studies with children have typically focused on their sensory education and willingness to try new foods. While very little is known about how children taste foods during everyday mealtimes, EMCA (ethnomethodological and conversation analytic) research on adult tasting in naturalistic settings has demonstrated regular organisational patterns. This paper brings these two research areas together, using the insights of EMCA research on adult tasting to inform our understanding of how young children taste food during preschool lunches. Data are taken from a large corpus of video-recorded lunches in Sweden, in which children (3- to 6-year-olds) were eating with staff members. Discursive Psychology and multimodal Conversation Analysis were used to analyse the data. The analysis demonstrates how the sequential organisation of child tasting is similar to adult tasting, and how tasting practices are a collaborative, multisensory activity involving various embodied practices: from the orientation to food as 'to be tasted', the withdrawal of mutual gaze and exaggerated mouth movements, to the re-establishment of gaze accompanying the food assessment. In contrast to adult tasting, however, tasting during preschool lunches is often framed in terms of personal development of the child and of the individualising of taste within the framework of the institution. The findings thus provide further support for EMCA research on sensory practices and contribute to psychological research on children's eating by evidencing the importance of the interactional and institutional context on tasting as a sensory practice.

The centrality of food in Norwegian adolescents' life; a photo elicitation study among Norwegian youth.

The purpose of the study was to explore how adolescents from a high school in Viken county define and interact with food systems in their immediate environments to understand if and how health and sustainability affect their food choices. A qualitative case study design and a participatory approach were employed. Data were collected through photo elicitation combined with group interviews. Pictures were analyzed in collaboration with participants, and the group interview through systematic text condensation. Results indicate that adolescents perceive food systems as being a substantial part of their everyday life, that they care about their health and that of the planet, and they wish to take sustainability and health into consideration when making food choices. Their food choices are affected by aspects such as family, friends, marketing, price, time, availability and accessibility. They perceive that their agency to influence their own diet and food systems is limited. Adolescents hold unique and important knowledge of their food-related behaviors and value their autonomy to make food choices. Future research and policies aiming to help adolescents make healthy and sustainable food choices should therefore actively include adolescents.

Body dissatisfaction and beyond: Investigating attitudes towards calorie labels on UK food menus.

In 2022 the British government made calorie labels on menus a legal requirement to encourage healthier food choices while dining out. Yet, little research has explored perceptions of calorie labels on menus in the United Kingdom or tested whether there may be groups of people vulnerable to potential negative effects of calorie labels, such as those with body dissatisfaction. This between-subjects, convergent mixed-methods study addressed these enquiries. Participants were 562 adults who completed an online survey where hypothetical food orders were made from a menu. The study found that participants who viewed a menu with calorie labels ordered fewer calories. Quantitative results did not find that participants with higher levels of body dissatisfaction were at significantly greater odds of using calorie labels to order fewer calories. However, our qualitative (thematic) analysis revealed that experiences of calorie labels could be shaped by body image concerns. Themes further drew on how calorie labels were empowering, but there were also concerns about their oversimplicity. Findings are discussed in relation to implications for future calorie labelling policies. Given the inconsistent findings amongst the limited amount of literature investigating the role of body dissatisfaction in how calorie labels are used, future research is crucial. In the meantime, as a cautionary measure, clinicians involved in supporting individuals with body or food-related concerns should be aware of the challenges their clients may experience in facing calorie labels on menus when dining out.

Nature's beauty versus urban bustle: Chinese folk music influences food choices by inducing mental imagery of different scenes.

Previous research has demonstrated that music can impact people's food choices by triggering emotional states. We reported two virtual reality (VR) experiments designed to examine how Chinese folk music influences people's food choices by inducing mental imagery of different scenes. In both experiments, young healthy Chinese participants were asked to select three dishes from an assortment of two meat and two vegetable dishes while listening to Chinese folk music that could elicit mental imagery of nature or urban scenes. The results of Experiment 1 revealed that they chose vegetable-forward meals more frequently while listening to Chinese folk music eliciting mental imagery of nature versus urban scenes. In Experiment 2, the participants were randomly divided into three groups, in which the prevalence of their mental imagery was enhanced, moderately suppressed, or strongly suppressed by performing different tasks while listening to the music pieces. We replicated the results of Experiment 1 when the participants' mental imagery was enhanced, whereas no such effect was observed when the participants' mental imagery was moderately or strongly suppressed. Collectively, these findings suggest that music may influence the food choices people make in virtual food choice tasks by inducing mental imagery, which provides insights into utilizing environmental cues to promote healthier food choices.

Revealed preferences on meat substitute consumption and political attitudes - Testing the left-right and environmental concerns framework.

The promotion of meat substitutes to reduce meat intake is a promising way to reduce the environmental and public health externalities of meat consumption while preserving the important role of taste and texture in meat products. However, the market for meat substitutes is developing more slowly than expected. Therefore, we analyze the factors associated with the heterogeneity in meat substitute consumption in Germany, a country where meat traditionally plays an important role. We use revealed preference data on meat substitute sales from 1025 individual retailers, sociodemographic data, and election results from 92 regions in Germany over the period 2017-2021, to analyze whether differences in meat substitute consumption are associated with consumers' political orientation (liberal/left or conservative/right) and socio-demographic variables. We also investigate whether election results for parties with stronger climate protection goals are associated with meat substitute consumption. Our results show that meat substitute consumption varies significantly across Germany and that this is related to differences in socio-demographic characteristics and voting behavior across regions. Voting for the Green Party and parties with strong climate protection ambitions is positively related to the market share of meat substitutes. In contrast, voting for Germany's most conservative party, which has the lowest ambitions in terms of climate protection targets, is associated with lower meat substitute consumption. Therefore, manufacturers could develop tailored marketing strategies that specifically target these voter groups in order to increase the market share of meat substitutes as alternatives to meat products.

Factors of food choice and nutritional intake of Brazilian older adults according sociodemographic and health characteristics.

The rapid demographic transition in developing countries has always posed a challenge for the social and economic policies of these nations. The increase in longevity poses new challenges for understanding dietary consumption among different age groups at the old age population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reasons for food choice and the composition of nutritional intake of older adults and its relationship to individual characteristics. Community-living older adults aged 60 and older were interviewed in their homes at the southeastern region of Brazil, between December 2021 and February 2022. The Food Choice Questionnaire and a Food Frequency Questionnaire were administered to obtain data on the reasons for food choice and nutritional intake. A structured interview was employed to gather information on individual characteristics. 168 older adults (mean age of 72.6 ± 8.9; 69.6% women) participated. The reasons for food choice differed significantly, with weight control being one of the least important and health being one of the most important. But older adults aged 80 and over valued the health criterion less than younger participants (60-69 years old). The intake of macronutrients and energy were below nutritional recommendations. Carbohydrate consumption was positively correlated with the mood motive. There was a relationship between the reasons for choosing food and/or the components of nutritional intake with: gender, age, living with a partner, self-report of depression/anxiety, self-perception of health and nutritional status anthropometric. The results are important to be considered in prevention policies and clinical-nutritional management, with special attention to the oldest-old.

Encouraging online consumers into making better food choices: The power of nature exposure on healthy food choices.

BACKGROUND: online environments can influence food desire and choices. We tested if online calming nature and stressful street environments can affect desire for healthy and unhealthy foods. METHOD: we asked 238 participants (40 ± 14 yrs) to rate their desire (100 mm VAS) for 7 low calorie nutrient rich foods (Healthy) and 7 high calorie nutrient poor foods (Unhealthy), and perceived stress (state anxiety in STAI), before and after imagining themselves in a control, nature park, or busy street condition. RESULTS: participants who imagined themselves being in a nature park had a significant higher desire for Healthy foods, than participants in the busy street condition (p < 0.05). Participants in the busy street condition decreased their desire for Healthy foods after they imagined themselves in a busy street (p < 0.05)). However, perceived stress did not impact the association between condition and desire for low calorie foods nor high calorie foods. CONCLUSION: this study suggests that online environments can have an impact on healthy food desires, which could be of importance for the increased number of food choices which are made in online environments.

Health or environment? Understanding which informative message is more effective in replacing red meat with mushroom-based alternatives.

Current concerns regarding the health and environmental consequences associated with excessive meat consumption have underscored the importance of guiding consumers towards more sustainable diets. Given this perspective, this study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of tailored informative messages in shaping consumer behaviour, particularly within the framework of replacing meat with mushroom-based alternatives. Additionally, it explores the factors influencing informative message effectiveness. An experimental online survey was conducted on a sample of 951 Italian consumers. Specifically, the sample was divided into three groups, of which 309 individuals formed the control group, 311 participants received informative messages on the health risks associated with red meat consumption, and 331 participants received informative messages emphasizing the environmental damages linked to red meat consumption. In both treatments, there was support for mushroom-based alternatives. Analyses included subgroup assessments, tests to verify treatments effectiveness, along with OLS regression to pinpoint variables influencing message effectiveness. The results underscore a fair positive impact of the two informative messages (mean scores: 8.75 for health message; 7.01 for environmental message). Noteworthy psychosocial variables, including lifestyle patterns, nutritional perceptions, and ecological attitudes, emerged as determinants in shaping consumers' food choices. While health-related messages exhibit marked influence, the nuanced landscape of diverse drivers and barriers necessitates judicious communication strategies. These insights bear significance for policymakers, health professionals, and marketers, offering guidance for interventions that effectively influence consumer behaviour toward more sustainable and healthier food practices.