Browsing by Subject "Food motives"

Background and objectives: It is important for human’s health and environment that red meat consumption decreases, and legume consumption increases in diet. To develop more tailored and effective interventions, it needs to be studied which food motives affect red meat and legume consumption across different population groups. Our aim was to study the associations between food motives and red meat and legume consumption and whether these associations differ between men and women and age groups. Material and methods: Ten food motives (health, mood, convenience, sensory appeal, natural content, price-cheap, price-value, weight control, familiarity and ethical concern as measured using the Food Choice Questionnaire) were studied among 3 079 adults who participated in the DILGOM 2014 study. Red meat and legume consumption was assessed with the Food Frequency Questionnaire. The associations between food motives and red meat and legume consumption were tested with linear regression analyses. The interactions between gender/age groups and food motives were studied by linear regression analyses and when the interaction was statistically significant the gender and age group stratified analyses were done. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The research protocol of the DILGOM 2014 were approved by the Ethics Committee of Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District. This study was part of the Leg4Life (Legumes for Sustainable Food System and Healthy Life) project. Results: The highest relative importance was for price-value, sensory appeal and health motives and the lowest for weight control, ethical concern and familiarity motives. Higher importance of health (std. β=-0.052), natural content (std. β=-0.071) and ethical concern (std. β=-0.088) were associated with lower red meat consumption. In contrast, rating mood (std. β=0.039), convenience (std. β=0.042,), sensory appeal (std. β=0.106), price-cheap (std. β=0.061) and price-value (std. β=0.035) motives as more important were associated with higher red meat consumption. The size of the association between food motives and red meat consumption was the most prominent, but small, for sensory appeal, natural content, price-cheap and ethical concern. Regarding legume consumption, higher importance of health (std. β=0.093), natural content (std. β=0.048), weight control (std. β=0.039) and ethical concern (std. β=0.054) were associated with higher legume consumption. On the contrary, higher appreciation of convenience (std. β=-0.112), price-value (std. β=-0.070) and familiarity (std. β=-0.084) were associated with lower legume consumption. The size of the association between food motives and legume consumption was the most prominent, but small, for health, convenience, price-value and familiarity. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that people with higher red meat consumption are more appreciative of convenience, taste and monetary aspects of food while people with higher legume consumption value more health and ethic related aspects of food. Based on our results the food motives that should be in the center when developing and implementing actions to decrease red meat consumption and increase legume consumption are convenience, sensory appeal, price-cheap and familiarity. Knowledge on the most valued food motives regarding red meat and legume consumption, may help alter individuals’ food consumption towards healthier and more sustainable direction.