Food choices for weight loss: what dietary strategies would people use?

Previous observational research showed that one of the most common strategies used to lose weight is to avoid or restrict the consumption of specific food items. However, the question of how people behave and implement strategies in actual decision-making situations involving food choices for weight loss purposes remains inconclusive. This experimental study using a food buffet aimed to examine people's different dietary strategies and motives for selecting foods for an entire day for weight loss purposes compared with a normal-day (ND) food selection. A total of 111 participants (55 % women) had to choose foods for both a ND and a weight loss day (WLD) (within-study design). Kilocalories and nutrients were calculated based on the weights of the foods selected, and food choice motives were assessed using a questionnaire. The results showed that for weight loss purposes, the participants selected more vegetables (both sexes) and unsweetened beverages (only men) while reducing their choices of high-fat and high-energy products (both sexes). Participants' food choices in both conditions (ND and WLD) differed from the official nutrition recommendations. They chose less carbohydrates and fibres and more fat and sugar than recommended. Health, kilocalories and nutrient content (carbohydrates, sugar, fat and protein) were more important food choice motives for weight loss purposes than for a ND food selection, while taste became less important. In conclusion, the participants appeared to be well capable of implementing several appropriate dietary strategies. Further research is needed to explore strategies to help them maintain these dietary changes over the long term.

Consumers' categorizations of dairy products and plant-based milk, yogurt, and cheese alternatives.

Plant-based dairy alternatives have many benefits in terms of sustainability, animal welfare, and health, but they can only be successful in the market if consumers perceive them as suitable substitutes for conventional dairy. Consumers' expectations for new products are strongly influenced by the food categories into which they place these products. The present study aims to reveal consumers' categorizations of plant-based dairy products to gain insights into their potential as dairy substitutes. In a free sorting task, 100 participants from the German-speaking part of Switzerland sorted a variety of plant-based and conventional animal-based dairy products into groups, indicating their spontaneous similarity perceptions. Additionally, we assessed the participants' characteristics and attitudes toward plant-based dairy products to test potential differences in categorization strategies among consumer groups. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis showed that consumers' mental representations of plant-based dairy and conventional animal-based dairy were clearly separated across a wide range of product types. This pattern was even observed among consumers who ate less meat, had higher exposure to vegan dietary styles, and had less negative attitudes toward dairy alternatives. The results suggest that taxonomic distinctions based on plant or animal origin dominate consumers' perceptions and are likely to hinder the substitution of dairy with plant-based dairy. Nevertheless, they also imply that plant-based products that manage to emphasize shared goals and functional properties akin to conventional dairy products are more likely to form a common goal-derived category in consumers' minds and thus have better prospects as substitutes.

Complementary feeding challenges: Insights from Swiss parents' perspectives.

Parents play a crucial role in deciding what foods to introduce to their infants during the transition from milk to solids. This study examined the challenges they face, including adherence to official complementary feeding recommendations and the struggles and concerns across different stages of feeding. Specifically, this study focused on the initial stage (transition from breastmilk/formula to mashed foods), middle stage (consumption of mashed foods and some fingerfoods, transitioning towards family foods) and late stage (complete transition to family diet). Findings from 22 semi-structured interviews with Swiss parents reveal that, despite being well-informed, practical obstacles such as returning to work, limited time for preparing homemade foods, managing multiple children, and food preferences often hinder adherence. Safety concerns like allergies and choking were prominent early on but decreased as infants grew older and parents gained confidence. In the middle phase, concerns shifted towards pesticides, indicating a growing awareness of food quality. Maintaining a healthy diet was a constant concern, with early reassurance from breastfeeding or formula feeding giving way to worries about balanced nutrition as solids became more prominent. Time constraints were particularly significant in the first two stages, due to the effort of preparing small amounts of mash and later cooking separate meals. Tailored support and clear communication can help parents navigate these challenges and promote healthier feeding practices.

Worldviews, trust, and risk perceptions shape public acceptance of COVID-19 public health measures.

Because of the outbreak of COVID-19, most countries have implemented measures aimed at reducing the number of infected people. However, these measures only work if they are generally accepted by the public. We conducted a two-wave longitudinal survey in Switzerland (n = 1,223) to study the factors that would influence perceived risks and the acceptance of the measures. Our findings showed that people with individualistic worldviews, high general interpersonal trust, low social trust, a low level of perceived risks, and the conviction that risks other than health risks were neglected had less acceptance of the implemented measures compared with people who held the opposite views on the mentioned variables. The number of infected people declined between survey waves 1 and 2. This desired effect not only reduced people's perceived risks but also decreased their social trust and increased the conviction that other risks were neglected. Finally, the acceptance of the measures declined. Our data also support the idea that reduced risk perceptions and a decline in social trust are important drivers for the reduction in the acceptance of the measures in survey wave 2. Our results suggest that as soon as the measures attain success or the public is tired of the implemented restrictions, public acceptance declines, and it seems difficult to prolong the measures as may be desirable from an epidemiological standpoint. The importance of worldviews and trust for public acceptance of the measures further suggests the necessity of a political discussion about the implemented measures.

Intuitive toxicology in the 21st century-Bridging the perspectives of the public and risk assessors in Europe.

Three decades ago, several articles on the subjectivity in chemical risk judgments (i.e., labeled "intuitive toxicology") measured the divide between the public and toxicologists with different backgrounds regarding the validity of predicting health effects based on in vivo studies. Similar divides with impacts on societal discourse and chemical risk assessment practices might exist concerning alternative toxicity testing methods (i.e., in vitro and in silico). However, studies to date have focused either on the public's views of in vivo or stem cell testing or on experts' views of in vivo testing and potential alternatives (i.e., toxicologists and medical students), which do not allow for a direct investigation of potential divides. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted two online surveys, involving members of the German-speaking public in Switzerland and European human health risk assessors, respectively. This article presents the results of these two surveys regarding the divide in the public's and risk assessors' perspectives on risk assessment based on in vivo, in vitro, and in silico testing. Particularly, the survey with the risk assessors highlights that, beyond scientific and regulatory barriers, alternatives to in vivo testing may encounter individual hurdles, such as higher uncertainty associated with them. Understanding and addressing these hurdles will be crucial to facilitate the integration of new approach methodologies into chemical risk assessment practices as well as a successful transition toward next-generation risk assessment, bringing us closer to a fit-for-purpose and more efficient regulatory landscape.

Childhood poisonings: Effects of ambiguous product characteristics on preschool children's categorization of household chemicals.

This study investigated preschool children's categorization and risk perception of products with ambiguous product characteristics (e.g., food-like packaging). These characteristics make it difficult for preschool children to categorize household chemicals correctly. This, therefore, increases the risk of unintentional poisoning. We hypothesized that ambiguity arises from different product characteristics, such as the type of packaging, the products' scent, or the packaging's color and transparency. In four behavioral tasks, N = 108 preschool children (M = 43 months, SD = 3) categorized different products and household chemicals with various types of packaging, colors, and scents. Individually wrapped dishwasher tablets were more likely to be categorized as edible than unwrapped ones. Furthermore, children who had interacted with any type of dishwasher tablet in the last 6 months performed better in identifying dishwasher tablets, regardless of packaging type. Household chemicals with a fruity scent were more likely to be categorized as drinkable than those with a chlorine scent. Finally, the children considered black bottles more dangerous and preferred them less than bottles of a different color. In contrast, bottle transparency generally did not seem to affect risk perception and preference. These findings confirm that ambiguous product characteristics influence children's categorization of unknown products and, thus, their risk perception and decision-making. Manufacturers and caregivers are advised to reduce the ambiguity of household chemicals by designing more neutral product packaging and choosing products with more neutral elements, respectively.

A questionnaire for quality control in postgraduate medical education in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: To ensure high qualification standards in medical institutions, a questionnaire has been developed to evaluate the postgraduate medical education in Switzerland. AIM: This article describes the development and longitudinal analysis of a questionnaire using eight scales to assess the quality of postgraduate medical education. METHOD: The questionnaire has been administered to all residents every year since 2003. In 2020, 8,745 residents returned the questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 70%. In addition, a survey is conducted annually among the directors of medical institutions. RESULTS: We present results of the directors' survey and the resident evaluation from 2020, as well as longitudinal data over 16 years. The mean values of the eight scales remained stable or increased slightly over the years. The decision-making culture scale is generally rated best by the residents, while the evidence-based medicine scale is rated as the least good. The most important drivers of residents' satisfaction with a training site are the work environment and leadership culture scales. The directors perceive the evaluation to be fair and useful. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire represents a reliable and useful tool for the quality control in postgraduate medical training. It provides yearly feedback to the directors regarding how the residents perceive their training giving insights for improvments.

Consumers' decision-making process when choosing potentially risky, frequently used chemical household products: The case of laundry detergents.

Chemical household products are a common cause of accidents in the domestic sphere. Despite such products being associated with certain risks in the event of swallowing or contact with the skin or eyes, they are used in nearly every household worldwide for hygiene purposes. In most European countries, chemical household products feature warnings of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) as well as other warnings. In this eye-tracking study (N = 147), which was conducted in a virtual environment, we examined (i) whether consumers use such warnings when choosing a laundry detergent, (ii) whether they consider information irrelevant to risk assessment and (iii) whether they make use of this information for their final product choice. For this, the participants were split randomly into three experimental groups (a risk priming group, an effectiveness priming group, and a control group) that each received different tasks while purchasing a laundry detergent. The results indicate that the warnings found on laundry detergents are effective when they are used, although the majority of consumers do not look at the warnings. Therefore, we suggest that the alternative placement of warnings or the use of simplified warnings should be considered to improve consumers' awareness of potential risks.

How health warning labels on wine and vodka bottles influence perceived risk, rejection, and acceptance.

BACKGROUND: Wine consumption has a particular place in the culture of many European countries, and beliefs that wine offers health benefits are widespread. High consumption of wine and other alcoholic beverages among many Europeans correlates with alcohol-related accidents and disease burdens. Health warning labels (HWLs) on alcohol containers have been increasingly recommended to deter consumers from drinking. However, findings on the impact of HWLs on consumers' behavior have been mixed. Moreover, many European consumers have been found to reject the use of warning labels as a policy intervention, especially for wine, perhaps due to its cultural and economic importance. METHODS: An online study with a between-subjects design was conducted in Switzerland (N = 506) to assess whether HWLs can influence the perceived risk associated with drinking wine and vodka, a beverage insignificant to Swiss culture. Participants were presented an image of either a wine or vodka bottle with or without an HWL presenting a liver cancer warning statement. They were then asked to indicate their perceived risk of regularly consuming the depicted beverage. Acceptance and rejection of HWLs were also assessed. RESULTS: The perceived risk of vodka consumption exceeded the corresponding risk for wine but was unaffected by an HWL. Perceived health benefits were the main, negative predictor of perceived consumption risk. Participants mainly rejected HWLs due to their perceived effectiveness, perceived positive health effects, social norms, and individualistic values. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived risk is an important determinant of drinking behavior, and our results suggest that HWLs may be unable to alter risk perceptions. Furthermore, a strong belief in the health benefits of alcohol consumption, particularly wine consumption, reduce risk perceptions and may be unaffected by HWLs.

The Social Amplification of Risk Framework: A Normative Perspective on Trust?

Public trust is being lamented as the central victim of our new, digital information environment, a notion that is depicted in labeling our society as "posttruth" or "posttrust." Within this article, we aim to call this deficit view of public trust into question and kindle a more positive outlook in future research. For this, we utilize the Social Amplification of Risk Framework to discuss trust as an inherent aspect of social interactions and to question the frameworks' normative approach to public trust and risk perception. Utilizing a literature review of prior studies that investigated trust within the structure of SARF and a case study on the impacts of Fukushima on public trust in nuclear energy, we would like to argue that the current normative "trust deficit model" should be overcome and future risk research should increasingly focus on the opportunities of the digital informational environment for risk communication.

An approach for comparing agricultural development to societal visions.

There is broad agreement that agriculture has to become more sustainable in order to provide enough affordable, healthy food at minimal environmental and social costs. But what is "more sustainable"? More often than not, different stakeholders have opposing opinions on what a more sustainable future should look like. This normative dimension is rarely explicitly addressed in sustainability assessments. In this study, we present an approach to assess the sustainability of agricultural development that explicitly accounts for the normative dimension by comparing observed development with various societal visions. We illustrate the approach by analyzing farm- and landscape-scale development as well as sustainability outcomes in a Swiss case study landscape. Observed changes were juxtaposed with desired changes by Avenir Suisse, a liberal think tank representing free-market interests; the Swiss Farmers Association, representing a conservative force; and Landwirtschaft mit Zukunft, an exponent of the Swiss agroecological movement. Overall, the observed developments aligned most closely with desired developments of the liberal think-tank (72%). Farmer interviews revealed that in the case study area farms increased in size (+ 57%) and became more specialized and more productive (+ 223%) over the past 20 years. In addition, interpretation of aerial photographs indicated that farming became more rationalized at the landscape level, with increasing field sizes (+ 34%) and removal of solitary field trees (- 18%). The case study example highlights the varying degrees to which current developments in agriculture align with societal visions. By using societal visions as benchmarks to track the progress of agricultural development, while explicitly addressing their narratives and respective systems of values and norms, this approach offers opportunities to inform also the wider public on the extent to which current developments are consistent with different visions. This could help identify mismatches between desired and actual development and pave the way for designing new policies. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13593-021-00739-3.

Farmer surveys in Europe suggest that specialized, intensive farms were more likely to perceive negative impacts from COVID-19.

It has been shown that the COVID-19 pandemic affected some agricultural systems more than others, and even within geographic regions, not all farms were affected to the same extent. To build resilience of agricultural systems to future shocks, it is key to understand which farms were affected and why. In this study, we examined farmers' perceived robustness to COVID-19, a key resilience capacity. We conducted standardized farmer interviews (n = 257) in 15 case study areas across Europe, covering a large range of socio-ecological contexts and farm types. Interviews targeted perceived livelihood impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on productivity, sales, price, labor availability, and supply chains in 2020, as well as farm(er) characteristics and farm management. Our study corroborates earlier evidence that most farms were not or only slightly affected by the first wave(s) of the pandemic in 2020, and that impacts varied widely by study region. However, a significant minority of farmers across Europe reported that the pandemic was "the worst crisis in a lifetime" (3%) or "the worst crisis in a decade" (7%). Statistical analysis showed that more specialized and intensive farms were more likely to have perceived negative impacts. From a societal perspective, this suggests that highly specialized, intensive farms face higher vulnerability to shocks that affect regional to global supply chains. Supporting farmers in the diversification of their production systems while decreasing dependence on service suppliers and supply chain actors may increase their robustness to future disruptions. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13593-022-00820-5.

Chemophobia and knowledge of toxicological principles in South-Korea: perceptions of trace chemicals in consumer products.

Many consumer products are manufactured or synthesized from chemicals. However, consumers may be hesitant to purchase consumer products that are perceived as synthetic or derived with chemical substances. Prior studies suggested a preference for chemicals of natural origin and an irrational fear of synthetic chemicals, a phenomenon that is referred to as chemophobia. The aim of this study was two-fold as follows: to (1) investigate the levels of knowledge with respect to toxicological principles, chemophobia, and trust in stakeholders in South Korea and (2) experimentally test the effect of information provision on acceptance and willingness-to-buy for the specific case of trace chemicals in consumer products. For this purpose, an online survey and experiment was conducted with consumers in South Korea. Data suggested that in South Korea chemophobia correlated with an individual's knowledge regarding toxicological principles. Accordingly, a small intervention providing information on the dose-response mechanism increased consumers' acceptance of the presence of trace chemicals and subsequent willingness to purchase the products in this study. In conclusion, this investigation stresses the importance of educating the public regarding basic principles of toxicology to avoid chemophobia, while simultaneously discussing other factors that need to be taken into account such as attitudes and trust in communicators.

Measuring consumers' knowledge of the environmental impact of foods.

Our daily food choices have a huge impact on the environment. However, most consumers are not aware of the environmental impact of food production and consumption. Since there is no valid and reliable measure of knowledge regarding food's environmental impact, a 16-item multiple-choice knowledge questionnaire was developed. An example item reads: "Which of the following meals is the most climate friendly?" - Organic beef burger, Organic salmon burger, Quinoa burger, Do not know. The knowledge questionnaire was tested in a Swiss and German consumer sample (total N = 1810) and meets standard psychometric criteria. It showed good internal consistency across the adult samples. Validity was supported by small to medium-sized positive correlations with constructs of environmental (e.g., environmental apathy) and food (e.g., perceived environmentally friendly food purchasing behavior) attitudes. By using a food buffet made of replica food items, it was shown that consumers with higher knowledge scores are better able to compose lunch menus with a lower environmental footprint. The new scale will help to identify potential areas of misconceptions in people's understanding of the environmental friendliness of foods and in what respect a lack of knowledge poses a barrier to behavioral change. It also enables research into the efficacy of educational measures such as campaigns and decision aids for sustainable food consumption.

A longitudinal study examining the influence of diet-related compensatory behavior on healthy weight management.

The aim of the present study was to examine the role of diet-related compensatory behavior in healthy weight management regarding diet quality, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI) over time in a non-clinical general population. Data were based on the first and third waves of the Swiss Food Panel 2.0 survey, which included questions about food consumption frequencies and constructs measuring weight management strategies. Data were examined using principal component analysis and correlation analyses to examine the psychometric properties of the adapted items, and multiple linear regression analyses for longitudinal examination. The adapted items measuring diet-related compensatory behavior were shown to be valid and reliable. On a longitudinal level, the results show that diet-related compensatory behavior was a significant predictor for change in physical activity and diet quality. With a higher tendency for diet-related compensatory behavior, physical activity and diet quality increased after two years. No effect was found for changes in BMI over time. Individuals from a non-clinical population showing diet-related compensatory behavior more frequently seem to have an improved diet quality and an increase in physical activity over time. Therefore, when applied in healthy doses, diet-related compensatory behavior may contribute to the maintenance of a balanced and healthy body weight, but it is not a successful strategy for weight loss over time.

Trust and Risk Perception: A Critical Review of the Literature.

Many studies in the field of risk perception and acceptance of hazards include trust as an explanatory variable. Despite this, the importance of trust has often been questioned. The relevant issue is not only whether trust is crucial but also the form of trust that people rely on in a given situation. In this review, I discuss various trust models and the relationship between trust and affect heuristics. I conclude that the importance of trust varies by hazard and respondent group. Most of the studies use surveys that provide limited information about causality. Future research should focus more on experiments that test whether trust is a consequence of people's attitudes or influences their attitudes toward a technology. Furthermore, there is a need for a better understanding about the factors that determine which heuristics people rely on when evaluating hazards.

The Impact of Trust and Risk Perception on the Acceptance of Measures to Reduce COVID-19 Cases.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 has had a large impact on the lives of many people worldwide. At the peak of confirmed COVID-19 cases during the first wave in Switzerland (March-April 2020), we conducted a survey in the German-speaking part of the country (N = 1,585). The results suggest that the implemented measures are accepted. The survey participants are more concerned that other family members could catch the virus compared with themselves, and they are worried about its economic impact. The results suggest that how trust is measured is crucial because general trust and social trust have opposite effects on the participants' risk perceptions. People with high general trust perceive less risks associated with COVID-19 compared with people who have low general trust, and people with high social trust perceive more risks compared with people who have low social trust. The results further indicate that perceived risks are important drivers for the acceptance of the government's implemented measures to control COVID-19 and for more precautionary behavior (i.e., contact with fewer people and more hygienic behavior). Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Tampering with Nature: A Systematic Review.

Tampering with nature has been shown to be a strong, and sometimes even the strongest, predictor of the risk perception and acceptance of various technologies and behaviors, including environmental technologies, such as geoengineering. It is therefore helpful to understand what tampering with nature is as a construct, to which factors it relates, and when a technology or behavior is perceived as such. By means of a systematic review, we show that very little systematic research has been conducted on tampering with nature. Because tampering with nature has not yet been clearly defined, no systematic operationalization of tampering with nature has been used in the current literature. We show that tampering with nature is often used interchangeably with other constructs, such as naturalness. Based on the literature, we suggest that tampering with nature is related to and possibly influenced by three other constructs, which are naturalness, morality, and controllability. We discuss the influence of tampering with nature on the acceptance and risk perception of various technologies and behaviors and make suggestions for future research needs in order to better understand this construct.

Psychological factors that determine people's willingness-to-share genetic data for research.

Of all the information that we share, health and genetic data might be among the most valuable for researchers. As data are handled as particularly sensitive information, a number of pressing issues regarding people's preferences and privacy concerns are raised. The goal of the present study was to contribute to an understanding of people's reported willingness-to-share genetic data for science (WTS). For this, predictive psychological factors (eg, risk and benefit perceptions, trust, knowledge) were investigated in an online survey (N = 416). Overall, participants seemed willing to provide their genetic data for research. Participants who perceived more benefits associated with data sharing were particularly willing to share their data for research (ß = .29), while risk perceptions were less influential (ß = -.14). As participants with higher knowledge of the potential uses of genetic data for research perceived more benefits (ß = .20), WTS can likely be improved by providing people with information regarding the usefulness of genetic data for research. In addition to knowledge and perceptions, trust in data recipients increased people's willingness-to-share directly (ß = .24). Especially in the sensitive area of genetic data, future research should strive to understand people's shifting perceptions and preferences.

Barriers to the safe use of chemical household products: A comparison across European countries.

Chemical household products, such as cleaning and washing products or pest control and garden chemicals, are frequently involved in poisonings in private households. Consumer research has identified a number of barriers that impede the safe use of these products, ranging from unfamiliarity, to misconceptions and a lack of risk perception, to behavioural or situational barriers. This study aimed at investigating these barriers for consumers in eight European countries. Participants from eight European countries were recruited and asked to fill out an online questionnaire on their familiarity with hazard pictograms, perceptions and self-reported behaviour (Total: N = 5631, Austria: N = 731, Switzerland: N = 698, Germany: N = 711, France: N = 708, Italy: N = 695, Poland: N = 693, Sweden: N = 682, UK: N = 713). Across all countries, the lowest consumer familiarity was found for the meaning of the pictogram for "health hazard" (65% indicated having never seen it before). Small-sized differences between the eight countries were observed regarding people's familiarity, perceptions and self-reported behaviour. The results suggest that people apply hazard-related as well as product- and marketing-related strategies to judge the dangerousness of a chemical household product. These findings suggest a number of starting points for risk regulation and communication regarding hazardous household chemical products. Further, the results suggest that positive outcome expectancies and rules of thumb for judging the risks of a chemical household product are particularly relevant for people's self-reported safe use of chemical household products.