Discordance in risk perception between children,parents, and teachers in terms of consumption of cheap and poorly nutritious food sold around schools

Little is known about the eating behavior of Asian children when faced with a range of poorly nutritious foods sold around schools, and whether they appreciate the risks involved in consuming such foods. To provide adequate education regarding proper food consumption, it is essential to understand how children perceive the potential risks and to examine their actual eating behaviors. The perceptions of adults and children should also be compared. This study selected children from the most populous primary schools (n = 166) in 36 of the national capital regions of the Republic of Korea. A total of 443 children were randomly selected from each school and they, their parents (n = 425), and nutrition teachers (n = 166) were asked to complete a questionnaire (total 11 questions) designed to examine how children and adults perceived the risks associated with the consumption of cheap and poorly nutritious foods sold around schools. Most children (>70%) consumed these foods more than once per week, even though they were aware that they may be potential hazardous. Children were significantly less concerned about the risks associated with their eating behaviors than their parents and teachers (p < 0.05), particularly regarding snacks prepared and cooked under unhygienic conditions. Although parents and teachers were very concerned about children’s food consumption, they misunderstood the level of children’s awareness, their preferences, and their actual eating behaviors. This study generated a database of information about children’s actual eating behavior around schools, and the perception (by children, parents, and teachers) of the risks. This database may contribute to the design of suitable educational programs for children, parents, and teachers.     

Enhancing expected food intake behaviour,hedonics and sensory characteristics of oil-in-water emulsion systems through microstructural properties,oil droplet size and flavour

Food reformulation, either to reduce nutrient content or to enhance satiety, can negatively impact upon sensory characteristics and hedonic appeal, whilst altering satiety expectations. Within numerous food systems, perception of certain sensory attributes, known as satiety-relevant sensory cues, have been shown to play a role in food intake behaviour. Emulsions are a common food structure; their very nature encourages reformulation through structural design approaches. Manipulation of emulsion design has been shown to change perceptions of certain sensory attributes and hedonic appeal, but the role of emulsions in food intake behaviour is less clear. With previous research yet to identify emulsion designs which promote attributes that act as satiety-relevant sensory cues within emulsion based foods, this paper investigates the effect of oil droplet size (d_4,3: 0.2–50 μm) and flavour type (Vanilla, Cream and No flavour) on sensory perception, hedonics and expected food intake behaviour. By identifying these attributes, this approach will allow the use of emulsion design approaches to promote the sensory characteristics that act as satiety-relevant sensory cues and/or are related to hedonic appeal. Male participants (n = 24) assessed the emulsions. Oil droplet size resulted in significant differences (P < 0.05) in ratings of Vanilla and Cream flavour intensity, Thickness, Smoothness, Creamy Mouthfeel, Creaminess, Liking, Expected Filling and Expected Hunger in 1 h’s time. Flavour type resulted in significant differences (P < 0.05) in ratings of Vanilla and Cream flavour intensity, Sweetness and Liking. The most substantial finding was that by decreasing oil droplet size, Creaminess perception significantly increased. This significantly increases hedonic appeal, in addition to increasing ratings of Expected Filling and decreased Expected Hunger in 1 h’s time, independently of energy content. If this finding is related to actual eating behaviour, a key target attribute will have been identified which can be manipulated through an emulsions droplet size, allowing the design of hedonically appropriate satiating foods.     

Country of origin or EU/non-EU labelling of beef? Comparing structural reliability and validity of discrete choice experiments for measurement of consumer preferences for origin and extrinsic quality cues

The use of food labels and packaging information on place of origin and credence quality has increased, but it is still unclear how such information relates to consumer decisions and choices concerning the relative valuation of attributes. Valid measurement methods are needed to assess the importance attributed by the public to such information, but also to inform the industry about market demand. Discrete choice experiments (CEs) are frequently used to assess consumer preferences for food attributes. However, suitable methods are needed to reveal the probabilistic nature of preference data, so that heterogeneity can be explicitly accounted for. An R-index measure was modelled to account for choice probabilities in this study. Two surveys of Swedish residents, without (n = 506) and with (n = 278) a price vector, compared attribute importance for origin and extrinsic quality labelling of beef in CEs. Problems of structural reliability owing to unstable associations in attribute importance between formats were supported, but on levels rather than orderings. The R-index analysis of CE data revealed violations of attribute transitivity and dominance. Extending CE analysis to include choice probabilities may be useful for consumer profiling and for optimisation of product information. Labels with specific country-of-origin information instead of a wider EU/non-EU designation were the most determining attribute in this study.     

The influence of reputational concerns on purchase intention of fair-trade foods among young Japanese adults

This study explores whether reputational concerns have an effect on purchase intention for fair-trade food products among Japanese young adults. To manipulate reputation cues, we assessed consumers’ intentions to purchase fair-trade food products under two different experimental situations: the ‘observable’ condition, in which participants’ purchase behaviors were observable by others (N = 84); and the ‘anonymous’ condition, in which participants’ purchase behavior could not be observed by others (N = 106). The effect of six sensory and extrinsic attributes including fair trade, price, country of manufacture, taste characteristics, polyphenol content and caloric content on consumer intentions to purchase chocolate was evaluated using conjoint analysis. Results demonstrated that participants under the observable condition valuated fair trade higher than those under the anonymous condition, whereas the opposite tendency was observed for the valuation of price and caloric content for their overall purchase intention. These phenomena suggest that ethical consumption, such as purchasing fair-trade foods, is influenced not only by individual’s intrinsic motives for ethical issues but also by extrinsic social factors such as reputation-enhancing opportunities.     

Maternal feeding practices during the first year and their impact on infants’ acceptance of complementary food

The introduction of weaning foods is a major transition in the development of infants’ eating behavior. Previous studies showed that greater variety at the beginning of the weaning period can later influence an infant’s acceptance of new foods. The aim of the present study was to describe maternal feeding practices in the first year (breastfeeding duration, age at the initiation of weaning, variety of new foods introduced) and to study whether they impacted infants’ later acceptance of new foods in a longitudinal survey of French children’s eating behavior.Mothers (n = 203) were asked to record each food offered to their infants from the beginning of the weaning period to the age of 15 months and to score the acceptance of each food for the first 4 presentations. The foods were clustered into categories (i.e. fruits, vegetables…). The link between individual characteristics (maternal age, education level, parity, caregiver during weaning and infant gender) and exclusive breastfeeding duration, age at the initiation of weaning, age at the introduction of each food category, number of new foods introduced from all categories and the infant’s acceptance of each food was studied. Finally, the link between feeding practices and infants’ acceptance of new foods was analyzed.Seventy-two percent of the infants were exclusively breastfed from birth for a median duration of 68 days. On average, the age at the initiation of weaning, 5 months, was in accordance with the current French recommendations. The number of new foods introduced was 13.4 per month on average and differed from one infant to another with no association with individual characteristics. The reactions to new foods were positive in 90% of the cases but differed according to food categories. In the early weaning period, fruits and vegetables were the least positively accepted foods; however, the average acceptance rate of these foods reflects infants’ positive reactions. The earlier vegetables were introduced, the higher the acceptance of new vegetables was. Finally, new food acceptance was significantly correlated with the number of different foods offered in the first two months of weaning, particularly for fruits and vegetables. These results highlight the ease of introducing new foods into a child’s diet in the period between 4 and 15 months and the role of maternal complementary feeding practices on infants’ acceptance of new foods.     

Some like it healthy: Can socio-demographic characteristics serve as predictors for a healthy food choice?

Authorising new health claims in Europe will favour the diffusion on the market of a greater number of foods with health claims. This scenario presents new opportunities to promote healthy food choices and launches new challenges to define strategies aimed at promoting products on the market. The literature suggests that our understanding of consumers’ sensitivity to health claims is still fragmented and should be further investigated. Our objective is to study the relationship between choice behaviour, attitudes and socio-demographic characteristics in order to evaluate the effectiveness of consumer characteristics in predicting consumers’ choice of products with health claims. Towards this end, we have conducted a choice experiment for extra-virgin olive oil on a sample of Danish (n = 1024) and Italian (n = 1000) consumers. Applying the latent class approach has enabled us to identify a niche of individuals sensitive of health claims and to characterise them with respect to the rest of the population. The results supply insights for the development of more targeted health promotion campaigns, as well as for actions in food marketing.     

Willingness of Iranian young adults to eat organic foods: Application of the Health Belief Model

This study investigates the determinants of organic foods consumer behavior in Iran. This will further understanding of consumer decision-making regarding organically produced foods and help identify strategies for promoting their consumption. The focus of the study was to explore the influence of constructs of the Health Beliefs Model on willingness to use organic foods using a multistage, stratified random sample of young adults (n = 389) in a survey conducted in Iran. Structural equation modeling showed that perceived benefits, general health orientation regarding pesticides and organic foods, self-efficacy and perceived barriers are significant predictors of willingness regarding the use of organic foods. These variables can predict nearly 42% variance of young adults’ willingness to use organic food. The findings yield public policy and marketing recommendations for stimulating organic food consumption among young adults.     

Research challenges and methods to study food preferences in school-aged children: A review of the last 15 years

Until only a few decades ago, there was little interest in research about children as consumers. Today, the food market for ‘‘the small consumers’’ is continuously growing and many foods and beverages are developed specifically for this target group. Furthermore, a better understanding of children’s food preferences could help design strategies to reduce obesity and malnutrition. The present review examines the main research domains in which measurements of children’s food preferences are applied. It also gives an overview of the progress made during the last 15 years in the field of consumer testing with children, highlighting the need of investigating and using new methods in addition to existing ones. Attention is devoted to the choice of specific methods according to the child’s age.An intense interest in consumer and sensory research with children is demonstrated by the systematic increase of scientific publications on this topic. A shift in research methodology has been observed in the last 15 years, being research more focused on feeding behavior and healthy eating. Recent investigations confirm that children in the age range of 4–11 years are able to perform most traditional consumer tests in addition to more sophisticated methods (e.g. projective mapping, memory and emotion evaluation) if age-appropriate procedures are adopted.     

Do healthy,child-friendly fruit and vegetable snacks appeal to consumers? A field study exploring adults’ perceptions and purchase intentions

The majority of children in the U.S. do not consume enough fruits and vegetables (FV). Children’s liking of and preferences for FV are consistent predictors of intake, as are factors such as availability and accessibility, which are largely under the control of parents and caregivers. This study was designed to examine parents’ and caregivers’ current purchasing habits regarding child-friendly (CF)-shaped foods and pre-cut produce; determine their sensory perceptions of CF-shaped vs. regular-shaped pre-cut FV; and, to ascertain their willingness to pay slightly more for CF-shaped FV compared to fresh, whole produce. Healthy, CF-shaped fruit and vegetable snacks were developed by cutting FV into CF shapes (butterfly, chick, flower, teddy bear). Participants (n = 298) were adults, the majority of whom (66.1%) reported having children at home. Participants who reported having children at home consistently recognized CF-shaped fruit and vegetable samples as CF-shaped foods, while 64.4% of participants with children at home perceived regular-shaped pre-cut fruit and vegetable samples as CF-shaped foods. Participants rated CF-shaped samples as more visually appealing than regular-shaped samples, (p < 0.0001) and were 34% more likely to select CF-shaped samples. Female gender, the presence of children in the home, and frequent self-reported purchase of pre-cut produce were also significant positive predictors of visual appeal. Taste and texture ratings were not consistently significantly higher for CF-shaped fruit and vegetable samples. CF shape predicted higher willingness to pay extra for the fruit and vegetable product (p = 0.0057), as did frequent purchase of pre-cut produce and CF-shaped foods. Adults, particularly females and individuals with children in the household, find CF-shaped FV highly visually appealing and are willing to pay slightly more for these foods. Healthy, ready-to-eat, CF-shaped fruit and vegetable snacks may be a promising marketing strategy to help increase fruit and vegetable intake among children.     

Examining heterogeneity in elderly consumers’ acceptance of carriers for protein-enriched food: A segmentation study

Elderly face an increased risk of nutritional deficiencies due to reduced appetites and increased nutritional needs. The development of appealing enriched functional foods holds a great potential for improving the nutritional status of this group of consumers. However, the elderly population is strongly heterogeneous, which poses a challenge to fulfilling their nutritional needs. Therefore, this study aimed to illustrate and examine the heterogeneity in elderly consumers’ acceptance of carriers for enrichment. In an online survey, respondents (N = 303, M_age = 66.9) were asked to rate their willingness to trial purchase a set of carriers enriched with protein, that varied systematically in terms of healthiness (healthy vs. unhealthy), novelty (novel vs. traditional), and meal type (meal component vs. snack). Overall, respondents reported low willingness to purchase protein-enriched foods and indicated that they preferred to consume more protein-rich conventional foods, should they need to increase their protein intake. The identification of heterogeneity in carrier acceptance, especially regarding product novelty and meal type, suggested that there was room for improvement in product acceptance. Indeed, willingness to trial and repeat purchase protein-enriched carriers were considerably higher for product formats that were tailored to six subgroup of respondents. These findings underline the merits of taking heterogeneity into account when commercialising functional foods among elderly. Future studies may want to look into additional ways to reduce scepticism among elderly regarding the use of enriched food.     

Sensory profiles and consumer acceptability of a range of sugar-reduced products on the UK market

Current UK intake of non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES) is above recommendations. Reducing the sugar content of processed high sugar foods through reformulation is one option for reducing consumption of NMES at a population level. However, reformulation can alter the sensory attributes of food products and influence consumer liking. This study evaluated consumer acceptance of a selection of products that are commercially-available in the UK; these included regular and sugar-reduced baked beans, strawberry jam, milk chocolate, cola and cranberry & raspberry juice. Sweeteners were present in the reformulated chocolate (maltitol), cola (aspartame and acesulfame-K) and juice (sucralose) samples. Healthy, non-smoking consumers (n = 116; 55 men, 61 women, age: 33 ± 9 years; BMI: 25.7 ± 4.6 kg/m²) rated the products for overall liking and on liking of appearance, flavor and texture using a nine-point hedonic scale. There were significant differences between standard and reduced sugar products in consumers' overall liking and on liking of each modality (appearance, flavor and texture; all P < 0.0001). For overall liking, only the regular beans and cola were significantly more liked than their reformulated counterparts (P < 0.0001). Cluster analysis identified three consumer clusters that were representative of different patterns of consumer liking. For the largest cluster (cluster 3: 45%), there was a significant difference in mean liking scores across all products, except jam. Differences in liking were predominantly driven by sweet taste in 2 out of 3 clusters. The current research has demonstrated that a high proportion of consumers prefer conventional products over sugar-reduced products across a wide range of product types (45%) or across selected products (27%), when tasted unbranded, and so there is room for further optimization of commercial reduced sugar products that were evaluated in the current study. Future work should evaluate strategies to facilitate compliance to dietary recommendations on NMES and free sugars, such as the impact of sugar-reduced food exposure on their acceptance.     

Food neophobia levels of Lebanese and American college students

Food neophobia, defined as the reluctance to eat novel foods, is a personality trait that influences everyday human food choices. The objectives of this work were first, to compare food neophobia levels among American and Lebanese college students (n = 1122), second to assess the effect of personal variables such as country of residence, socio-economic status (SES) on food neophobia levels, and third to examine the effect of food neophobia levels on the familiarity and willingness to try ratings of familiar and novel foods. Average food neophobia scale (FNS) score for all respondents was 33.1 ± 11.3. Differences on FNS scores were obtained between American (29.8) and Lebanese (36.4) students (P < 0.05). Number of trips taken outside the country, frequency of eating ethnic foods and history of sickness after eating a new food were significant (P < 0.05). Food neophilic subjects had higher familiarity and willingness to try scores for familiar and novel foods.     

Irish consumer acceptance of a hypothetical second-generation GM yogurt product

This paper examines Irish consumer acceptance of second-generation GM products, defined here as those which are expected to exhibit a specific consumer-oriented benefit. Conjoint analysis was used to determine Irish consumer preferences (n = 297) for attributes of a hypothetical GM yogurt. Cluster analysis on the basis of the GM attribute revealed four segments of consumers. An “anti-GM” segment (24.4% of sample) were outright rejecters of all GM foods, while a second cluster (33.4%) specifically rejected second-generation GM products. A further 20.5% of the sample were receptive to the notion of second-generation GM products. However, this group had a number of complex reservations, which would need to be resolved before they would truly accept such products. GM foods offering specific consumer benefits were found to be acceptable to 21.2% of the sample, implying that these foods could represent a segment within the overall food market in the future.     

Associations between appetitive traits and food preferences in preschool children

BackgroundThe ways in which children eat, their appetitive traits, are associated with their food intakes and weight status yet it is unclear whether they also relate to food preferences.MethodsA cross-sectional self-report survey administered in two Australian cities. Food preferences were grouped according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and a summary measure of healthiness, the Healthy Preference Index, was constructed. Bi-variate and multiple linear analyses examined relationships between each of the CEBQ dimensions and between the CEBQ dimensions and children’s food preferences (P < 0.05).ResultsIn total, 371 parents of children aged 2–5 years (response rate 53.5%) participated. The models explained approximately 32% of the variance in children’s Healthy Preference Index scores and 42% of the variance in preferences for vegetables. CEBQ dimensions Fussiness, Enjoyment of Food and Food Responsiveness were significant predictors of several of the food preference measures in linear regression analyses. Fussiness predicted all of the measures of food preferences, explaining a large proportion of the variance in such measures (ranging from 23% to 59%). Enjoyment of Food predicted greater liking of Vegetables and Meats as well as a higher Variety Index score. Food Responsiveness was associated with greater preferences for non-core Extra Foods, and reduced preferences for Vegetables. None of the other CEBQ dimensions meaningfully associated with children’s food preferences.ConclusionsOf the eight CEBQ subscales, children’s Fussiness, Enjoyment of Food and Food Responsiveness predicted food preferences. Some, but not all, of the CEBQ subscales appear to be meaningful predictors of children’s food preferences.     

Both a higher number of sips and a longer oral transit time reduce ad libitum intake

BackgroundA higher eating rate leads to a higher food intake, possibly through shorter orosensory exposure to food. The transit time in the oral cavity and the number of bites or sips per gram (inversely related to bite or sip size) are main contributors that affect eating rate. The separate role of these two aspects on satiation and on orosensory exposure needs further clarification.ObjectiveThe objective of the first study was to investigate contributions of the number of sips per gram (sips/g) and oral transit time per gram (s/g) on ad libitum intake. The objective of the second study was to investigate both aspects on the total magnitude of orosensory exposure per gram food.MethodsIn study 1, 56 healthy male subjects consumed soup where the number of sips and oral transit time differed by a factor three respectively: 6.7 vs. 20 sips/100 g, and 20 vs. 60 s/100 g (2 × 2 cross-over design). Eating rate of 60 g/min was kept constant. In study 2, the effects of number of sips and oral transit time (equal as in study 1) on the total magnitude of orosensory exposure per gram soup were measured by time intensity functions by 22 different healthy subjects.ResultsHigher number of sips and longer oral transit time reduced ad libitum intake by respectively ∼22% (F(1, 157) = 55.9, P < 0.001) and ∼8% (F(1, 157) = 7.4, P = 0.007). Higher number of sips led to faster increase in fullness per gram food (F(1, 157) = 24.1, P < 0.001) (study 1). Higher number of sips and longer oral transit time both increased the orosensory exposure per gram food (F(1, 63) = 23.8, P < 0.001) and (F(1, 63) = 19.0, P < 0.001), respectively (study 2).ConclusionHigher number of sips and longer oral transit time reduced food intake, possibly through the increased the orosensory exposure per gram food. Designing foods that will be consumed with small sips or bites and long oral transit time may be effective in reducing energy intake.     

Evaluation of factors affecting the food consumption levels of inpatients in a Turkish armed forces training hospital

The aims of this study are to determine how patients hospitalized in a Turkish Armed Forces Training Hospital perceive different attributes of food and food services and to determine factors affecting the level of food consumption.This study was conducted in Gulhane Military Medical Academy Training Hospital, with 1000 beds. A questionnaire was used to determine the patients’ perception of the food quality and levels of food consumption.It was found that 44.4% of the patients consumed all of the food provided, 28.9% of patients consumed the half, 23.5% of patients consumed some and 3.2% of patients did not consume any of their meals. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify patients who did not consume 50% or more of their food. It was found that non-surgical patients (OR = 0.498; p = 0.022), and those dissatisfied with the taste and smell of food (OR = 4.272; p = 0.000) and the appearance of food (OR = 3.161; p = 0.003) were more likely to be in the patient group who reported not consuming at least 50% of the food provided.     

Manipulations that influence stereotypes of the weight-gain potential of foods

The present study examined the impact of two manipulations on beliefs of the weight-gain potential of foods. Respondents (n = 230) compared foods that are often perceived to be unhealthy to similar- or higher-calorie foods that are often perceived to be healthy in terms of their capacity to promote weight gain. A portion of the respondents were provided information about energy amounts of the foods while the remaining respondents were not. Also, an experimental manipulation examined whether holding the total daily energy intake at 2000 kcal had any impact on the findings. The caloric information presented had at best a modest effect on respondents’ ratings of the foods. However, generally regardless of the information provided the respondents viewed “unhealthy” foods as weight promoters (compared to “healthy” foods) and only fat content (not energy density or kcal, fiber and sugar content) predicted which foods would be judged to promote weight gain. A simple and handy stereotype appears to be the most convenient method for most people to evaluate the weight-gain potential of food names even when more accurate information (energy content) is available.     

An exploratory study of sensory attributes and consumer traits underlying liking for and perceptions of freshness for ready to eat mixed salad leaves in Italy

The role of sensory attributes and storage time information in driving liking for and perceptions of freshness for ready to eat vegetables was investigated in mixed salad leaves for different storage times (0, 3, 7 and 9 days). A modified Repertory Grid Method was used to identify ten attributes describing consumer's perception of sensory properties over storage. Eighty-one consumers rated the overall liking, the intensity of sensory attributes and the level of freshness in salad samples at different storage times. Freshness was evaluated in blind and informed conditions. Furthermore, consumers filled in a Food Choice Questionnaire and rated the importance of six attributes known to be important for ready to eat salad choice. The relationships between sensory properties significantly affected by storage time, perceived freshness and liking showed that both liking and freshness were positively related to appearance attributes (green colour, salad assortment and leaf turgidity). The perceived level of freshness, expiry date and appearance were confirmed as the most important attributes for ready to eat salad choice. Two clusters of consumers (Cl1: n = 49; Cl2: n = 32) were identified based on the mean liking rating. The positive effects on health and mood as well as ethical concerns drove food choice more in Cl1 than in Cl2 subjects. No significant effect of storage time was found on liking ratings expressed by Cl1 in blind conditions, while a significant decrease of perceived freshness was observed. On the other hand, results from Cl2 in blind conditions showed a significant decrease of both liking and perceived freshness. Information about storage time significantly affected freshness ratings in Cl1 but did not influence those from Cl2.Results suggest that collection of sensory data, affective responses and information about the background of subjects is needed to fully investigate the perceptions of freshness from a consumer perspective.