Adolescents' use of online food delivery applications and perceptions of healthy food options and food safety: a cross-sectional study in the United Arab Emirates.

Saleh, Sheima T; Osaili, Tareq M; Al-Jawaldeh, Ayoub; Hasan, Haydar A; Hashim, Mona; Mohamad, Maysm N; Qiyas, Salma Abu; Al Sabbah, Haleama; Al Daour, Rameez; Al Rajaby, Radhiya; Masuadi, Emad; Stojanovska, Lily; Papandreou, Dimitrios; Zampelas, Antonis; Al Dhaheri, Ayesha S; Kassem, Hanin; Cheikh Ismail, Leila

Saleh, Sheima T; Osaili, Tareq M; Al-Jawaldeh, Ayoub; Hasan, Haydar A; Hashim, Mona; Mohamad, Maysm N; Qiyas, Salma Abu; Al Sabbah, Haleama; Al Daour, Rameez; Al Rajaby, Radhiya; Masuadi, Emad; Stojanovska, Lily; Papandreou, Dimitrios; Zampelas, Antonis; Al Dhaheri, Ayesha S; Kassem, Hanin; Cheikh Ismail, Leila.

Afiliação

Saleh ST; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Osaili TM; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Al-Jawaldeh A; Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
Hasan HA; Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO), World Health Organization (WHO), Cairo, Egypt.
Hashim M; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Mohamad MN; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Qiyas SA; Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Al Sabbah H; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Al Daour R; Public Health Department, College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Al Rajaby R; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Masuadi E; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Stojanovska L; Department of Public Health Institute, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Papandreou D; Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Zampelas A; Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Al Dhaheri AS; Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Kassem H; Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Cheikh Ismail L; Department of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.

Front Nutr ; 11: 1385554, 2024.

Article em En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38628272

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess Online food delivery applications (OFDA) usage trends among adolescent users in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), focusing on their perceptions of healthy food options and food safety (n = 532).

Methods:

Sociodemographic information, frequency of OFDA use, factors affecting food choices, and perceptions of healthy food and food safety were investigated. A total perception score was calculated for each participant.

Results:

Most participants used OFDAs weekly (65.4%), favoring fast food (85.7%). Factors like appearance and price drove food choices (65.0%), while taste and cost hindered healthy food orders (29.7 and 28.2%). Younger and frequent users had lower scores for perceiving healthy food, while seeking healthy options was associated with higher scores (p < 0.05). Females and those seeking healthy food showed higher food safety scores (p < 0.05).