Habit persistence in food purchases

Abstract Background The Nutri-Score summary graded front-of-pack nutrition label has been identified as an efficient tool to increase the nutritional quality of pre-packed food purchases. However, no study has been conducted to investigate the effect of the Nutri-Score on the shopping cart composition, considering the type of foods. The present paper aims to investigate the effect of the Nutri-Score on the type of food purchases, in terms of the relative contribution of unpacked and pre-packed foods, or the processing degree of foods. Methods Between September 2016 and April 2017, three consecutive randomized controlled trials were conducted in three specific populations – students (N = 1866), low-income individuals (N = 336) and subjects suffering from cardiometabolic diseases (N = 1180) – to investigate the effect of the Nutri-Score on purchasing intentions compared to the Reference Intakes and no label. Using these combined data, the proportion of unpacked products in the shopping carts, as well as the distribution of products across food categories taking into account the degree of processing (NOVA classification) were assessed by trials arm. Results The shopping carts of participants simulating purchases with the Nutri-Score affixed on pre-packed foods contained higher proportion of unpacked products – especially raw fruits and meats, i.e. with no FoPL –, compared to participants purchasing with no label (difference of 5.93 percentage points [3.88–7.99], p-value< 0.0001) or with the Reference Intakes (difference of 5.27[3.25–7.29], p-value< 0.0001). This higher proportion was partly explained by fewer purchases of pre-packed processed and ultra-processed products overall in the Nutri-Score group. Conclusions These findings provide new insights on the positive effect of the Nutri-Score, which appears to decrease purchases in processed products resulting in higher proportions of unprocessed and unpacked foods, in line with public health recommendations.

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Self-Reported Dental Caries by Mexican Elementary and Middle-School Schoolchildren in the Context of Socioeconomic Indicators: A National Ecological Study

Children ◽

10.3390/children8040289 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 289

Author(s):

Juan Fernando Casanova-Rosado ◽

Alejandro José Casanova-Rosado ◽

Mirna Minaya-Sánchez ◽

Juan Alejandro Casanova-Sarmiento ◽

José Luis Robles-Minaya ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Middle School ◽

Dental Caries ◽

School Health ◽

Ecological Study ◽

Self Report ◽

Socioeconomic Indicators ◽

National Surveys ◽

Socioeconomic Variables ◽

Food Purchases ◽

Mexican Children

The objective of the present research was to quantify the association between dental caries self-report and socioeconomic indicators in Mexican children. An ecological study included a self-report of dental caries in schoolchildren enrolled in public elementary and middle schools derived from the National School Health Survey. A total of 73,560 schoolchildren (representing 19,745,366 students) aged 5 to 16 years were included. Socioeconomic variables included were scales depicting physical characteristics of housing, purchasing power, etc. used in national surveys in Mexico to measure deprivation, poverty, and income inequality in official data. Data were analyzed in Stata using Spearman’s correlation test. For the most part, no association (p > 0.05) was found between caries self-report, socioeconomic variables, or the Gini index. However, caries self-report in elementary schoolchildren and total (elementary + middle-school) schoolchildren groups was positively correlated (p < 0.05) with two poverty variables: extreme poverty by income (value of personal food purchases per month) and poverty by income (value of personal food and non-food purchases per month). National data for dental caries self-report were associated—at the ecological level—with a few socioeconomic indicators but not with most of the usual and customary indicators used in national surveys in Mexico.

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Impact of Fear of Contracting COVID-19 and Complying with the Rules of Isolation on Nutritional Behaviors of Polish Adults

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041631 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1631 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Iwona Kowalczuk ◽

Jerzy Gębski

Keyword(s):

Eating Behaviors ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Food Product ◽

Alcoholic Beverages ◽

Online Study ◽

Food Purchases ◽

Product Consumption ◽

Close Relationship ◽

Two Factors

The aim of the study was to examine whether, and to what extent, fear of contracting Covid-19 and compliance with the mandatory rules of isolation affected Polish adults’ nutritional behaviors. The online study was carried out during the first wave of the pandemic on a sample of 926 adults. Through cluster analysis, three groups of respondents were isolated: 1. People who fear a Covid-19 infection and follow the isolation rules (FFR), 2. People moderately afraid of the disease and following the rules loosely (MFFR), 3. People who are not afraid of the infection and do not follow the rules of isolation. (NFFR). The clusters were profiled with consideration of different aspects of eating behaviors as well as socio-demographic and economic features. The results of the study show a close relationship between the level of fear of contracting Covid-19 and the degree to which isolation rules are followed. These two factors were found to have a significant impact on eating behaviors, such as food purchases, eating patterns, and levels of consumption. It was stated that the FFR group changed their eating behaviors the most in terms of food purchasing, eating habits (excluding diversity and quality of diet), and food product consumption. The greatest stability in the majority of the analyzed areas of nutritional behaviors was observed in the MFFR cluster. The NFFR group shown the greatest decrease both in regularity and quality of their meals. This group also exhibited a significant increase in the consumption of alcoholic beverages. The results of the study can be useful in the decision making process when introducing restrictions or managing information. They also point to the need for extensive nutritional education focused on explaining the relationship between nutrition and health during a pandemic.

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Food-Choice Values of Elementary School Children and Strategies Used to Influence Mothers’ Food Purchasing Decisions

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa051_017 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 720-720

Author(s):

Nazratun Monalisa ◽

Edward Frongillo ◽

Christine Blake ◽

Susan Steck ◽

Robin DiPietro

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

South Carolina ◽

School Children ◽

Food Choice ◽

Elementary School Children ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Purchasing Decisions ◽

Food Purchasing ◽

Food Purchases ◽

Children's Strategies

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to understand the values held by elementary school children in constructing food choices and the strategies they used to influence their mothers’ food purchasing decisions. Methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 40 elementary school children (aged 6–11 years) and their mothers living in South Carolina. Food choice information was collected only from children and strategies to influence mothers’ food purchases were collected from both children and mothers. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and open-coded. Coding matrices were used to compare children's and mothers’ responses on the children's strategies to influence mothers’ food purchasing decisions. Results Children most valued taste, texture, and flavor of the food items, followed by perceived benefits, happiness, craving, following family and friends, the items’ healthfulness, preparation, and presentation when they made food choice decisions. Children reported 157 strategies that they used to influence mothers’ purchasing decisions. Mothers had concordance with 80 strategies that children mentioned. In mother-child dyads, more concordance was observed between mothers and sons than between mothers and daughters. The most common and successful strategies from both the children's and mothers’ perspectives were reasoned requests, repeated polite requests, and referencing friends. Other strategies included offers to contribute money or service, teaming up with siblings, writing a shopping list, and grabbing desired items. Mothers perceived that children had a lot of influence on their food purchasing decisions. Conclusions Children were aware of the strategies that would get positive reactions from their mothers. Mothers’ acknowledgement of children's influence on their food purchase decisions suggests that children can serve as change agents for improving mothers’ food purchases if children prefer healthy foods. Interventions are needed for mothers to help address children's strategies to influence mothers to purchase unhealthy foods and make healthy foods more appealing to children instead of yielding to children's requests for unhealthy items. Funding Sources SPARC grant and Ogoussan Doctoral Research Award from the University of South Carolina.

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Using Supermarket Loyalty Card Data to Provide Personalised Advice to Help Reduce Saturated Fat Intake among Patients with Hypercholesterolemia: A Qualitative Study of Participants’ Experiences

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13041146 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1146

Author(s):

Charlotte L. Lee ◽

Paul N. Aveyard ◽

Susan A. Jebb ◽

Carmen Piernas

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Behavioural Intervention ◽

Telephone Interviews ◽

Food Purchases ◽

Acceptable Method ◽

The One ◽

High Level ◽

Brief Advice ◽

Loyalty Card

Background: The ‘Primary Care SHOPping Intervention for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention’ (PCSHOP) trial tested the effectiveness and feasibility of a behavioural intervention to reduce saturated fat in food purchases. The intervention offered feedback from data collected through a supermarket loyalty card to supplement brief advice from a nurse. This qualitative study aimed to describe participants’ experiences of receiving this intervention. Methods: We conducted semi-structured, one-to-one, telephone interviews with participants from the PCSHOP trial. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We employed the one sheet of paper technique and a thematic analysis to develop high-level themes in NVivo software. Results: Twenty-four participants were interviewed (mean age: 63 years (SD 12)). They reported that the brief advice did not provide any new information but they welcomed the sense of accountability the nurse provided. The personalised shopping feedback and healthier swap suggestions provided novel information that challenged previously held beliefs about the saturated fat content of food purchases and encouraged some positive dietary changes. However, the taste preferences of the participant or other household members were a barrier to changing food shopping behaviours. Conclusion: Harnessing loyalty card data is a novel and acceptable method to offering personalised dietary feedback. Yet, issues on the suitability of the healthier swap suggestions limited the extent of dietary change. Trial registration: ISRCTN14279335. Registered 1 September 2017.

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