Contrariwise obesity through organic food consumption in Malaysia: a signaling theory perspective

Background: the context and purpose of the study Unhealthy food consumption has raised an alarming situation of obesity among Asian nations and posing serious threats to human health. Recent studies have acknowledged that organic food consumption has been contrariwise associated with obesity. The consumption of healthy food has received research attention in social marketing and several antecedents and consequences have been identified. However, to date, there is a void in literature that how social, individual, and marketing elements together tradeoff in predicting a healthy lifestyle. Thus, the current investigation unfolds the antecedents of healthy foods’ adoption in Asia by integrating the brand signaling and theory of planned behavior. Methods The data of 241 respondents were collected from selected social media Facebook communities through a survey using assessed 42 questions. For this purpose, participants’ Facebook accounts were selected from the online healthy communities such as ‘Diet Suku Suku Separuh’ (469,000 followers), ‘Hiking, and Camping around Malaysia’ (351,200 followers), and ‘Healthy Malaysia’ (332 followers). The enumerator also engaged with the online community by liking posts and following health accounts. Results The data was analyzed using PLS (SEM) approach, the outcomes of hypotheses revealed interesting information that health consciousness not significantly predicts the purchase intention of healthy food. All antecedents were significant contributors to the prediction of foods’ purchase intentions in this study. However, the findings indicated that no positive relationship exists between brand image identifications and brand credibility identifications, and healthy foods’ purchase intentions identifications. The findings also indicated that no positive relationship exists between health consciousness identifications and healthy foods’ purchase intentions identifications. Conclusions: (summary and potential implications) Owing to the perilous increase in obesity among the general public in Asia. This study reinforced the factor that can help in the adoption of a healthy lifestyle. The study validated that a healthy lifestyle is reliant on the consumers’ health consciousness, environmental concern, and innovativeness through motivating the consumers’ healthy foods’ purchase intentions. Surprisingly, the results highlighted that respondents have not identified brand image and credibility as an antecedent of purchase intention. Given that organic food brands are somewhat new in Asian markets and therefore, brands must endure crisis marketing practices to improve their brand recognition. Therefore, policymakers must facilitate the food promotional activities that are critical to enhancing the perceived benefits of organic food to combat issues like obesity. This paper offers a foundation for future empirical investigations in Asia and various stakeholders on how to promote a healthy lifestyle in Asia. Specifically, the results will help policymakers to offer positive policies and procedures for the improvement of a healthy lifestyle through the understanding of the antecedents and consequences of health-conscious consumers’ healthy foods’ purchase intentions.

Anxiety During the Pandemic

This chapter intends to analyse the moderate effect of individual anxiety and gender derived by the pandemic crisis regarding health importance, health knowledge, and health consciousness of the individuals. A quantitative methodology was adopted with data collected from a questionnaire survey. The conceptual models and associated hypotheses were tested with a sample of 243 respondents. Data were analysed through a mediate-moderate model using a Hayes PROCESS macro. Findings show that health consciousness and knowledge affect health importance, health knowledge mediates the relation between health consciousness and health importance, for women health is more important than for men, and anxiety moderates and increases the relation between health consciousness, health knowledge, and health importance.

Is health consciousness and perceived privacy protection critical to use wearable health devices? Extending the model of goal-directed behavior

PurposeThe present study is an attempt to extend the Model of Goal-directed Behavior (MGB) to consider health consciousness and perceived privacy protection as two critical factors to predict desire and intention by individuals to adopt and use wearable health devices (WHDs).Design/methodology/approachBased on the literature review hypotheses were framed and tested using data collected through a questionnaire survey. A total of 418 self-reported complete responses were considered to analyze the hypotheses proposed in the study. Structural equation modeling, effects analysis and model comparison (MGB and extended MGB) were performed to understand the predictability of the suggested model.FindingsThe results of the study corroborate that along with MGB, health consciousness and perceived privacy protection also induces the intention of users toward using WHDs. Health-consciousness is found to have a positive and significant direct and indirect impact on intention to use WHDs. Further, the model comparison exhibits that the proposed extended MGB is a better predictor of intention to use WHDs.Practical implicationsApart from the conventional framework of MGB, health consciousness and perceived privacy protection promote desire and intention to use WHDs. This research provides a framework for marketers to promote health consciousness among consumers by motivating them to adopt WHDs. Further, privacy protection features should be showcased in order to induce trust in consumers which in turn will trigger their intention to use WHDs to lead a healthy lifestyle.Originality/valueThe current study incorporates health consciousness and perceived privacy protection in MGB to fit into the context of healthcare intention study, which enhances the predictability of intention behavior of consumers and adds to the existing body of MGB and healthcare literature.

The Evolution of Urban Australian Meat-Eating Practices

This qualitative study used social practice theory to explore how meat-eating practices are changing in contemporary urban Australia, drawing on a sample of Sydney residents aged 23–45 years. The research used an iterative study design and an inductive analysis approach. Semi-structured face-to-face in-depth interviews were the main mode of data collection, supplemented by observations in places such as markets and local neighborhoods. Research participants explained that the role of meat in their diet has changed in response to shifting conventions and social infrastructures. They have reduced consumption of red meat in favor of meats considered healthier or more ethical. Key factors driving the change include exposure to alternative eating practices brought about through changes in political policy and the advent of globalization. Changing discourses of masculinity and the move toward embracing more fluid representations of gender have, in turn, changed meanings in relation to the meat-eating man and a meat-heavy diet. Rising environmental and health consciousness, and concerns for animal welfare have also contributed to dietary changes. While several participants claimed to have increased their consumption of plant-based foods, meat still continues to maintain a significant presence within their diets. Many participants expressed interest in cutting back further on meat consumption and adopting more plant-based foods but they also identified several challenges—e.g., limited access to plant-based ingredients and recipes, negative meanings associated with vegetarian and vegan diets, and a lack of competence in relation to preparing and consuming appetizing meals using plant-based foods.

How does perceived severity of COVID-19 influence purchase intention of organic food?

PurposeThe COVID-19 outbreak has been rapidly spreading around the world for more than a year. However, few studies have explored the connection between the perceived severity of COVID-19 and purchase intention of the health-related products, for example, organic food. Based on the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework, this study examines the influencing mechanism of perceived severity of COVID-19 on purchase intention of organic food.Design/methodology/approachTo evaluate the proposed model, an online survey was utilized to collect 1,104 valid questionnaires from China.FindingsThe findings suggest that (1) the perceived severity of COVID-19 has a significant positive impact on purchasing intention; (2) health consciousness acts as a mediating role between perceived severity of COVID-19 and purchasing intention and (3) perceived inconvenience negatively moderates the connection between perceived severity and purchase intention.Originality/valueThe findings of this paper provide new insights into the positive effects of COVID-19 and pave the way for governments and enterprises to promote the purchase behaviour of organic food.

Circulating Tumor DNA in Oncology

When somatic cells in the human body undergo apoptosis or necrosis, the released DNA enters the bloodstream. This type of DNA is called cell-free DNA (cfDNA). In patients with cancer, DNA released from tumor cells is called circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), which carries genetic alterations specific to tumor cells. In recent years, ctDNA has attracted particular attention in terms of the concept of liquid biopsy in cancer care. Conventionally, tissue biopsy is required for the definitive diagnosis of cancer, and imaging examinations, such as CT, are performed for evaluating recurrence and residual lesions. Although the treatment burden on cancer patients is being slightly reduced due to advances in medicine, invasive examinations and medical exposure are still unavoidable. In addition, the prognosis of cancer varies considerably depending on the degree of progression at the time of detection. Therefore, the early detection of cancer is of utmost importance. With the increase in health consciousness, more people undergo regular health checkups, and it becomes necessary to diagnose cancer in a larger number of patients at an earlier stage. Although the accuracy of early detection has been improved by new imaging tests and examination techniques, each organ must be examined separately, and some organs are more difficult to examine than others in a regular health checkup. The process of cancer screening, diagnosis, and detection of recurrence after treatment is extensive. It can also be expensive, and some of the examinations may be invasive. If all of these processes can be replaced by the analysis of ctDNA in liquid biopsy, only a single blood sample is required. Under these circumstances, various studies are currently in progress on the use of ctDNA in clinical practice as an approach that may greatly reduce such burden. We present an overview of the current situation of ctDNA, as well as its future issues and prospects.

Continued use of mobile apps for health promotion (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Mobile health (mhealth) applications (apps) promotion has been increasingly used year after year. They have recently played an important role in preventing an unhealthy society. Mhealth apps have been developed in different health areas, increasingly satisfying user goals. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore and understand important factors that contribute to use behavior and the intention to continue using mhealth apps, in combination with the self-determination theory, and produce well-being and consciousness in health. This study extends the findings to continue usage, along with the intrinsic motivation of each consumer that drives well-being. METHODS The proposed model was empirically tested using data from a survey. We obtained 306 valid responses through an online questionnaire created in Qualtrics from participants that use mhealth apps. We applied the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique to test the research model. RESULTS The results show that the drivers of intrinsic motivation with statistical significance were perceived autonomy ((β ) ̂= 0.23; P < .001), perceived relatedness (β ̂ = 0.11; P = 0.049) and perceived competence (β ̂ = 0.50; P < .001). The drivers of perceived usefulness with statistical significance were confirmation (β ̂ = 0.74; P < .001). The precursors of satisfaction that were statistical significance were confirmation (β ̂ = 0.66; P < .001) and perceived usefulness ((β ) ̂= 0.22; P < .001). Use behavior was significantly influenced by intrinsic motivation (β ̂ = 0.58; P < .001) and perceived usefulness (β ̂ = 0.32; P < .001). The drivers of continuance intention to use with statistical significance were intrinsic motivation (β ̂ = 0.12; P = .018), perceived usefulness (β ̂ = 0.14; P = .004), satisfaction (β ̂ = 0.48; P < .001) and use behavior (β ̂ = 0.22; P < .001). Well-being was significantly influenced by use behavior (β ̂ = 0.62; P < .001) and continuance intention to use (β ̂ = 0.19; P = .001). The moderation effect of health consciousness in the relationship between use behavior and well-being (β ̂ = 0.14; P = .006) was statistically significant but the relationship between continuance intention to use and well-being (β ̂ = -0.06; P = .22), was not statistically significant. Therefore, the model explained over 50.8% of the total variance in intrinsic motivation, 54,4% of the variance in perceived usefulness, 69.6% of the variance satisfaction, 62.2% of the variance use behavior, 73.6% of the variance continuance intention to use, and 65.6% of the variance well-being. CONCLUSIONS Our study contributes to the continuance theory of the use of mhealth apps. The model found that intrinsic motivation, satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and user behavior significantly affect continuance intention. Our study demonstrates a significant role in a society that uses mhealth apps and that their use reflects well-being with the moderation effect of health consciousness.

Lessons Learnt during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Qualitative Study of South African Families

In a pandemic, such as COVID-19, with every single person struggling to deal with the unknown, it is often within the family that support is found but it is also within the family that circumstances, contexts and behaviours could further drive the pandemic and where they struggle to cope. This is novel research in the South African context with no known information regarding family life during and post the pandemic. This study, therefore, explores the lessons learnt during COVID-19 by South African families. A qualitative approach was employed to guide the gathering and analysis of the data. Data were collected from a sample of 31 family members above the age of 18 years from communities of the Western Cape Province and analysed through thematic analysis. According to the participants interviewed some of the significant lessons learnt from the lockdown include hygiene and health consciousness, appreciation for family, valuing life, self-introspection, less dependency, remote working, and financial savings. The realisation of such lessons even post-pandemic has the potential of strengthening families to be a resource of coping and resilience during very difficult times at the same time, contributing to greater physical, social, and economic functioning of families across South Africa.