Factors Underlying Food Choice Motives in a Brazilian Sample: The Association with Socioeconomic Factors and Risk Perceptions about Chronic Diseases

Autor(es)

Marsola, Camila de Mello ^[1] ; Cunha, Luis Miguel ^[2] ; de Carvalho-Ferreira, Joana Pereira ^[1] ; da Cunha, Diogo Thimoteo ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas UNICAMP, Fac Ciencias Aplicadas, Lab Multidisciplinar Alimentos & Saude, R Pedro Zaccaria 1300, BR-13484350 Limeira, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Porto, Fac Sci, DGAOT, GreenUPorto, Campus Agr Vairao, R Agr 747, P-4485646 Vila Do Conde - Portugal

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: FOODS; v. 9, n. 8 AUG 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 4

Resumo

This study aimed to evaluate the food choice motives in a sample in Brazil and to identify how socioeconomic characteristics and risk perceptions about chronic diseases and weight gain affect these motives. The Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) is an instrument to analyze the motivations for food choice. The FCQ was completed by 525 adult individuals in Brazil. The participants were asked about their perceived risk of gaining weight, developing diabetes, and hypertension. Confirmatory factor analysis led to the rejection of the original FCQ structure, and, after exploratory factor analysis, 30 items of the FCQ were maintained in eight factors: Nutritional Composition, Preparation Convenience, Purchase Convenience, Mood, Sensory Appeal, Health, Price, and Familiarity. Sensory Appeal and Familiarity were, respectively, the most and the least important factors involved in food choices in this sample. A high education level, high income, age, and female sex positively affected FCQ factors (except for the Price factor). On the basis of FCQ scores, we defined five clusters: Health Driven, Practicality Concerned, Shape Concerned, Food Concerned, and Cooking Enthusiasts. In general, individuals were optimistic regarding the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, and gaining weight, especially those from the Shape Concerned cluster. The differences in food choice motives presented here reinforce the existence of different niches of food consumption. Different types of products can attract specific target groups at the time of choice. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 18/12625-9 - Percepção de risco e benefício dos consumidores relacionada ao consumo alimentar e o viés otimista com relação ao desenvolvimento de doenças crônicas
• Beneficiário: Camila de Mello Marsola
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 19/10936-0 - Percepções de risco sobre os alimentos e alimentação: abordagem multifocal com consumidores e profissionais
• Beneficiário: Diogo Thimoteo da Cunha
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular