Can We Help Consumers Make Healthier Food Choices? The Role of Product Associations

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliano Laran ◽  
Marcus Cunha
Keyword(s):  
Food Choices

scholarly journals Perceptual salience influences food choices independently of health and taste preferences

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Dai ◽  
Jeremy Cone ◽  
Jeff Moher
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Load ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Food Choice ◽  
Time Pressure ◽  
Taste Preference ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Perceptual Salience ◽  
Choice Tests

Abstract Background Making decisions about food is a critical part of everyday life and a principal concern for a number of public health issues. Yet, the mechanisms involved in how people decide what to eat are not yet fully understood. Here, we examined the role of visual attention in healthy eating intentions and choices. We conducted two-alternative forced choice tests of competing food stimuli that paired healthy and unhealthy foods that varied in taste preference. We manipulated their perceptual salience such that, in some cases, one food item was more perceptually salient than the other. In addition, we manipulated the cognitive load and time pressure to test the generalizability of the salience effect. Results Manipulating salience had a powerful effect on choice in all situations; even when an unhealthy but tastier food was presented as an alternative, healthy food options were selected more often when they were perceptually salient. Moreover, in a second experiment, food choices on one trial impacted food choices on subsequent trials; when a participant chose the healthy option, they were more likely to choose a healthy option again on the next trial. Furthermore, robust effects of salience on food choice were observed across situations of high cognitive load and time pressure. Conclusions These results have implications both for understanding the mechanisms of food-related decision-making and for implementing interventions that might make it easier for people to make healthy eating choices.

scholarly journals Perseverative Cognition and Snack Choice: An Online Pilot Investigation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Eschle ◽  
Dane McCarrick
Keyword(s):  
Food Choice ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Risk Behaviours ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Perseverative Cognition ◽  
Pilot Investigation ◽  
Perseverative Thinking ◽  
Snack Consumption ◽  
Unhealthy Snacks

Perseverative cognition (PC), consisting of worry and rumination, has been consistently linked to a variety of poorer health outcomes, namely via the worsening of stress-induced health risk behaviours. However, research into PC and unhealthy food choice, a key health behaviour, still remains relatively unexplored. In the current pilot investigation, 284 participants were recruited to take part in an online food choice paradigm before completing the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ) and the Brief State Rumination Inventory (BSRI). As a reduced availability of unhealthy snacks has been shown to improve snack choice, participants were randomly allocated to either an even condition (a 3:3 ratio of ≤99 kcal and ≥199 kcal snacks) or an uneven condition (a 4:2 ratio in favour of ≤99 kcal snacks). It was hypothesized that higher levels of PC may predict greater instances of poorer snack choices across, or even within, this paradigm. Despite an increase availability of lower calorie snacks leading to a healthier snack choice, both state and trait PC measures did not significantly influence snack choice irrespective of this varying availability. Although, marginal trends were found for higher state PC and higher calorie crisp selections. The current pilot therefore adds to the growing literature advocating for the use of behavioural economic tactics to engender healthier food choices, yet further work is needed to unpick the mediating role of PC (and its components) in snack consumption paradigms.

scholarly journals Understanding the role of convenience in consumer food choices: a review article

SURG Journal ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Ellen Wales
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Demand ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Home Delivery ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Western World ◽  
Internet Shopping ◽  
Meal Preparation ◽  
The Individual

It is evident that convenience plays a prominent role in the food choices of today’s consumers. A trend having begun throughout the Western world, consumer demand for convenience foods is now on the rise around the globe. The growing presence of drive-thru windows, microwave dinners, take-out meals, home delivery for groceries and internet shopping, all demonstrate the importance of convenience in determining food choices. Costa et al. have argued that convenience itself determines where, when, why, what, how, and even with whom we eat. Several studies have examined the role that convenience plays in determining food choices, in particular, studies looking at the role of convenience in relation to full meal preparation and/ or consumption.The two areas of investigation will be 1) the dimensions of convenience as a part of the meal preparation and consumption processe, and 2) the individual characteristics of consumers and how they value these dimensions.

Marketing and family-related factors affecting food label use: the mediating role of consumer knowledge

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daleen Van der Merwe ◽  
Hanli de Beer ◽  
Marli Nel ◽  
Susanna M. Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Food Choices ◽  
Healthy Food ◽  
Objective Knowledge ◽  
Food Label ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis study investigated the influence of marketing- and family-related factors on consumers' in-store usage of different types of food label information. Furthermore, the authors determined the mediating role of consumers' knowledge about healthy foods between these factors and their label consultation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a survey among 223 purposively selected South African working female consumers via social media. Subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods, the importance of marketing- and family-related factors and the extent of food label usage were determined. Structural equation modelling served to test the mediating effect of knowledge in the relationship of the marketing and family-related factors with food label usage.FindingsMarketing-related factors demonstrated a strong direct effect on food label usage. Subjective knowledge about healthy foods mediated the relationship between family members' dietary needs and food label usage. However, objective knowledge was not a mediator.Practical implicationsRespondents' firm reliance on marketing-related factors (instead of knowledge) during food label usage is not in the best interest of consumers' healthy food choices. Healthy food choices based on factual knowledge rather than marketing efforts are necessary to establish long-term healthy food habits, hence the need for retailers' response in supplying healthier food options. Role players in consumer education should focus on increasing consumers' healthy food knowledge.Originality/valueIn the context of rising awareness of public health concerns, healthy food choice among consumers is essential. This study contributes to the complexity of consumers' need to make healthy food choices within an economic-driven marketing environment.

When virtue is not an option: Decision making in unhealthy food choices

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-216
Author(s):  
Lauren Trabold Apadula ◽  
Chrissy M Martins
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Selection Strategy ◽  
Unhealthy Food ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Relative Preference ◽  
Diet Versus ◽  
Health Objectives

Background: Health conscious consumers often make choices from constrained sets of food options, such as a restaurant menu, in which healthy options may not be present. Aim: The aim of this research was to examine how different decision strategies, such as selection versus rejection, influence the food option chosen when a choice set is restricted to unhealthy options. The mediating role of anticipated guilt was also explored. Methods: An experiment was conducted using a hypothetical choice scenario, in which participants were randomly assigned to a decision making strategy (select versus reject), health objective (diet versus indulge), and relative preference for the options (choice between two preferred options versus one preferred and one non-preferred option) was manipulated. Results: When using a selection strategy, consumers are more likely to choose their most preferred option, regardless of their health objectives, but when using a rejection strategy, health conscious consumers are more likely to avoid their most preferred option and consume a lesser liked alternative. Further, this effect is driven by reduced feelings of guilt. Important boundary conditions include consumer preference for the food options, as health conscious consumers will not reject their favorite option if they do not like the alternative. Conclusions: Decision making strategy influences health conscious consumers’ choices between unhealthy food options.

scholarly journals Perspectives of Malaysian parents on eating out: A qualitative analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-388
Author(s):  
Suhaila Abdul Ghaffar ◽  
◽  
Ruzita Abd. Talib ◽  
Norimah A. Karim ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Preferences ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Nutrition Interventions ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Eating Out ◽  
Role Of Parents ◽  
Family Bonding

Introduction: The culture of eating out among Malaysians has substantially increased in recent years due to the urbanisation of the society. Frequent eating out has been linked with reduced quality of diet, reduced intake of micronutrients, and increased weight gain. This study aims to explore specific factors on the perceptions and behaviours related to eating out from the perspective of parents. Methods: A qualitative study was carried out among 27 informants from various ethnicities and locations in Peninsular Malaysia. All sessions were audio-recorded, fully transcribed and analysed using thematic content analysis. Results: The main overarching theme that surfaced from this study was the role of parents in shaping the practice of eating out. Time constraints due to parents’ work commitments, the availability of various food outlets, increase in family bonding time and food preferences were recurring themes revealed by informants as facilitating factors to eating out. Other emerging themes, such as hygiene of food premises and cost of food, posed as barriers to eating out. Conclusion: These findings offered a better understanding on the eating out practices of a family from the parents’ perspective. Information as such could be incorporated in strategies to enhance the promotion of healthy eating and nutrition interventions that aim to inculcate healthy food choices while eating out.

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