Women’s Perception of and Readiness to Adopt a Sustainable Healthy Diet: A Cross-sectional Survey in Enugu City, Nigeria

Background: Perceived benefit of and readiness to adopt sustainable healthy diets (SHDs) is under-investigated in low-resource countries. We assessed women’s perceived benefit of and readiness to adopt SHDs and their associated factors in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria. Methods: A household cross-sectional survey of childbearing women (n = 450) was conducted in January and February 2021 using a questionnaire assessing food choice motives, perceived benefit, and readiness to adopt SHDs. Readiness to adopt SHDs was grouped into pre-contemplation and contemplation (PC/C), preparation and relapse (P/R), and action and maintenance (A/M). Results: About 79% and 60% of women have high perception and adopted SHDs respectively. Perceived benefit of SHD was associated with younger age (β = -0.20, ρ < 0.05), low education (β = -0.19, ρ < 0.05), and poor wealth quintile (β = -0.57, ρ < 0.001). PC/C was predicted by low perceived benefit (OR = 10.07, 95% CI: 4.78-21.22, ρ < 0.001), low education (OR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.25-5.04, ρ = 0.010), and taste (OR = 3.96, 95% CI: 1.61-9.75, ρ = 0.003). PR was predicted by low perceived benefit (OR = 3.92, 95% CI: 1.99-7.73, ρ < 0.001), low education (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.00-3.29, ρ = 0.049). A/M was related to younger age (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.27-0.84, ρ = 0.010, PR), and health (OR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06-0.36, ρ < 0.001, PC/C) and (OR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.08-0.35, ρ < 0.001, P/R). Conclusions: Adoption of SHDs need to improve in Enugu, Nigeria. We identified the factors that should inform dietary guidelines and campaigns to increase women's adoption of SHDs.

Women’s Perception of and Readiness To Adopt a Sustainable Healthy Diet: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Enugu City, Nigeria

Background Perceived benefit of and readiness to adopt sustainable healthy diets (SHDs) is under-investigated in low-resource countries. We assessed women’s perceived benefit of and readiness to adopt SHDs and their associated factors in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria. Methods A household cross-sectional survey of childbearing women (n = 450) was conducted in January and February 2021 using a questionnaire assessing food choice motives, perceived benefit, and readiness to adopt SHDs. Readiness to adopt SHDs was grouped into pre-contemplation and contemplation (PC/C), preparation and relapse (P/R), and action and maintenance (A/M). Results About 79% and 60% of women have high perception and adopted SHDs respectively. Perceived benefit of SHD was associated with younger age (β = -0.20, ρ < 0.05), low education (β = -0.19, ρ < 0.05), and poor wealth quintile (β = -0.57, ρ < 0.001). PC/C was predicted by low perceived benefit (OR = 10.07, 95% CI: 4.78-21.22, ρ < 0.001), low education (OR = 2.51, 95% CI: 1.25-5.04, ρ = 0.010), and taste (OR = 3.96, 95% CI: 1.61-9.75, ρ = 0.003). PR was predicted by low perceived benefit (OR = 3.92, 95% CI: 1.99-7.73, ρ < 0.001), low education (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.00-3.29, ρ = 0.049). A/M was related to younger age (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.27-0.84, ρ = 0.010, PR), and health (OR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.06-0.36, ρ < 0.001, PC/C) and (OR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.08-0.35, ρ < 0.001, P/R). Conclusions Adoption of SHDs need to improve in Enugu, Nigeria. We identified the factors that should inform dietary guidelines and campaigns to increase women's adoption of SHDs.

Trajectories of Food Choice Motives and Weight Status of Malaysian Youths during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Stay-at-home orders have abruptly altered food purchasing behaviour, dietary habits, and food choice motives. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the trajectory of food choice motives and their associations with the weight status of Malaysian youths in the time of COVID-19. Socio-demographic information and anthropometric measurements were self-reported by the respondents, while the food choice motives were assessed using a validated 38-item food choice questionnaire (FCQ). Of the 1013 Malaysian youths, 48.6% gained weight due to the confinement, with an average weight gain of 3.90 ± 2.92 kg. On the other hand, 47.0% to 73.0% of the youths changed their food choice motives in the time of COVID-19. Of the 10 motives, convenience (48.5%) had the largest percentage increase, followed by weight control (47.0%) and health (45.3%). Moreover, the mean scores of health (t = −3.324, p = 0.001), convenience (t = −5.869, p < 0.001), weight control (t = −7.532, p < 0.001), natural content (t = −5.957, p < 0.001), ethical concern (t = −4.419, p < 0.001) and price (t = −3.737, p < 0.001) were significantly higher during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic. Findings from the multinomial regression model revealed that youths highly concerned for weight control were more likely to be in the weight loss category (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.633, Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.230–2.168, p = 0.001). Conversely, those who gained weight due to the pandemic confinement highly valued natural content in foods (AOR = 0.653, CI = 0.481–0.886, p = 0.006) when making their food choices in this unprecedented pandemic. In conclusion, Malaysian youths made healthier food choices to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection.

Consumer adoption of online-to-offline food delivery services in China and New Zealand

PurposeThis study explores impacts of innovation-adoption characteristics, food choice motives, segmentation and socio-demographics on consumer adoption of online-to-offline food delivery services (O2O-FDS) in a Western developed country – New Zealand – and an Asian developing country – China.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey of 1,185 consumers provides data that the authors analyse using factor analyses, structural equation modelling and cluster analysis.FindingsThe following innovation-adoption characteristics and food choice motives have statistically significant effects on consumers' attitudes and/or purchase intentions towards O2O-FDS in the pooled sample and/or the samples of two countries: perceived incentive, perceived complexity, processed convenience, cheapness, taste appeal, safety-assured and purchase convenience. Three consumer segments are recognized: conservatives (26.6%), food-value seekers (40.8%) and pioneers (32.6%). Significant differences are found in marital status, age, household income, education level, household size, occupation, country and residential areas across the three segments.Originality/valueThis is the first study to systematically understand significant influencing factors for the O2O-FDS adoption by using a sample set composed of both Eastern and Western consumers.

Evaluation of the Food Choice Motives before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of 1232 Adults from Croatia

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic brought changes to almost every segment of our lives, including dietary habits. We present one among several studies, and the first on the Croatian population, aiming at investigating changes of food choice motives before and during the pandemic. The study was performed in June 2021 as an online-based survey, using a 36-item Food Choice Questionnaire applied for both the periods before and during the pandemic. The final sample consisted of 1232 adults living in Croatia. Sensory appeal was ranked as the number one most important food choice motive before, whereas health was ranked as the number one most important food choice motive during the pandemic. Ethical concern was reported as the least important food choice motive both before and during the pandemic. In women, natural content (p = 0.002), health, convenience, price, weight control, familiarity, and ethical concern (all p < 0.001) became more important during the pandemic, while price (p = 0.009), weight control, familiarity, and ethical concern (all p < 0.001) became more relevant for men. All together, these can be considered favorable changes toward optimal diets and may result in beneficial influences on health and lifestyle. Education strategies and efficiently tackling misinformation are prerequisites for informed food choice, which will ensure long-lasting positive effects of such changes.

Food Preferences and Food Choice Determinants in a Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study

Food preferences are within the most important determinants of food choices; however, little is known about their complex associations, and no studies were conducted in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between food preferences and food choice determinants in adolescents aged 15–20 years within the Polish Adolescents’ COVID-19 Experience (PLACE-19) Study. The PLACE-19 Study included a random quota sampling conducted in the whole of Poland and covered a population-based sample of 2448 secondary school students. The food preferences were assessed using a validated Food Preference Questionnaire (FPQ), and the food choices were assessed using a validated Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ). The statistical analysis comprised k-means clustering and linear regression adjusted for sex and age. Four homogenous clusters of respondents were defined based on the food choice motives—“healthy eaters” (health as the most important determinant of food choices), “hedonists” (convenience, sensory appeal, and price as the most important determinants), “indifferent consumers” (low significance for all determinants), and “demanding consumers” (high significance for all determinants). The preferences for all food categories differed when comparing between clusters presenting various food choice determinants (p < 0.001). The “healthy eaters” were characterized by the highest preference for vegetables; the “hedonists” preferred meat/fish, dairy, and snacks; the “demanding consumers” had a high preference for all food categories, while “indifferent consumers” had a low preference for all food categories. All preference scores were positively associated with mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, and price (p < 0.05). The results confirmed the association between food preferences and food choice determinants in adolescents, as well as allowed adolescents to be clustered into segments to define various needs and motives among the identified segments. For public health purposes, it may be crucial to educate “hedonists,” with a high preference for meat/fish, dairy and snacks, accompanied by convenience, sensory appeal, and price as the most important determinants of their food choices.

Vegetarians and different types of meat eaters among the Finnish adult population from 2007 to 2017

From health and sustainability perspectives, reduction in the consumption of animal-based foods, especially red meat, is a key strategy. The present study examined the prevalence, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, food consumption and food choice motives of vegetarians and consumers of low and high amounts of red and processed meat (RPM) among Finnish adults. We applied the data from three national health studies: FINRISK 2007 (n 4874), FINRISK 2012 (n 4812) and FinHealth 2017 (n 4442). Participants addressed their food consumption with a FFQ and answered other questionnaires about sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, as well as food choice motives. The prevalence of vegetarianism increased from 0·7 % in 2012 to 1·8 % in 2017, and median daily RPM consumption decreased from 128 g in 2007 to 119 g in 2012 and to 96 g in 2017. Vegetarians and members of the low-RPM group were more often women, younger and more highly educated than the high-RPM group, both in 2007 and 2017. Still, the importance of sex for the probability of a vegetarian diet decreased, while its importance for high-RPM consumption increased. Vegetarians consumed more fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds than either the low- or high-RPM groups. The high-RPM group had the lowest scores in several aspects of healthy and sustainable diet, healthy food choice motives and healthy lifestyle. Vegetarians and groups differing in their RPM consumption levels might benefit from differing interventions and nutrition information taking into account their other dietary habits, food choice motives and lifestyle factors.