Consumer Awareness of the Degree of Industrial Food Processing and the Association with Healthiness—A Pilot Study
Consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) has been associated with lower diet quality, obesity, and adverse health effects. Not much is known about how consumers evaluate the degree of processing of a food product and how they relate this to healthiness. An online questionnaire was completed by a t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/20/4438 |
| _version_ | 1797470519343185920 |
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| author | Dieuwerke Bolhuis Ana Carolina Mosca Nicoletta Pellegrini |
| author_facet | Dieuwerke Bolhuis Ana Carolina Mosca Nicoletta Pellegrini |
| author_sort | Dieuwerke Bolhuis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) has been associated with lower diet quality, obesity, and adverse health effects. Not much is known about how consumers evaluate the degree of processing of a food product and how they relate this to healthiness. An online questionnaire was completed by a total of 277 Dutch, 204 Italian, and 181 Brazilian consumers. Consumers were aged 18–65 year, mean 38 ± 13 year, 31% were males, and 71% were highly educated. Pictures of several common food products were evaluated on the degree of industrial processing and healthiness. Thirteen food categories were included, each including one minimally processed food (MPF), one High NS_UPF (Nutri-Score A or B), and one Low NS_UPF (Nutri-Score D or E). Lastly, knowledge and attitude about UPFs were assessed. Ultraprocessing was perceived as unhealthy by the majority of consumers (Dutch, Italian: 55%; Brazilian: 75%) and contributed to weight gain according to: 38% Dutch, 51% Italian, and 70% Brazilian consumers. Low NS_UPFs were correctly rated toward “processed” and “not healthy” in all countries. High NS_UPF were rated as processed but showed large variations in healthiness scores. In conclusion, consumers rated UPFs relatively low in healthiness compared with MPFs with similar Nutri-Scores within the same food category. These preliminary findings suggest that consumers incorporate, to some extent, the degree of industrial processing while assessing the healthiness of food products. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:38:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4d1d91fdd91643d39f5ca51e8a6e8ed1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:38:12Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-4d1d91fdd91643d39f5ca51e8a6e8ed12023-11-24T01:46:55ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-10-011420443810.3390/nu14204438Consumer Awareness of the Degree of Industrial Food Processing and the Association with Healthiness—A Pilot StudyDieuwerke Bolhuis0Ana Carolina Mosca1Nicoletta Pellegrini2Food Quality and Design, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The NetherlandsFood and Drug Department, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, ItalyFood Quality and Design, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The NetherlandsConsumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) has been associated with lower diet quality, obesity, and adverse health effects. Not much is known about how consumers evaluate the degree of processing of a food product and how they relate this to healthiness. An online questionnaire was completed by a total of 277 Dutch, 204 Italian, and 181 Brazilian consumers. Consumers were aged 18–65 year, mean 38 ± 13 year, 31% were males, and 71% were highly educated. Pictures of several common food products were evaluated on the degree of industrial processing and healthiness. Thirteen food categories were included, each including one minimally processed food (MPF), one High NS_UPF (Nutri-Score A or B), and one Low NS_UPF (Nutri-Score D or E). Lastly, knowledge and attitude about UPFs were assessed. Ultraprocessing was perceived as unhealthy by the majority of consumers (Dutch, Italian: 55%; Brazilian: 75%) and contributed to weight gain according to: 38% Dutch, 51% Italian, and 70% Brazilian consumers. Low NS_UPFs were correctly rated toward “processed” and “not healthy” in all countries. High NS_UPF were rated as processed but showed large variations in healthiness scores. In conclusion, consumers rated UPFs relatively low in healthiness compared with MPFs with similar Nutri-Scores within the same food category. These preliminary findings suggest that consumers incorporate, to some extent, the degree of industrial processing while assessing the healthiness of food products.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/20/4438industrial food processingultraprocessed foodsNOVA classificationNutri-Scorehealthiness perceptionconsumer awareness |
| spellingShingle | Dieuwerke Bolhuis Ana Carolina Mosca Nicoletta Pellegrini Consumer Awareness of the Degree of Industrial Food Processing and the Association with Healthiness—A Pilot Study Nutrients industrial food processing ultraprocessed foods NOVA classification Nutri-Score healthiness perception consumer awareness |
| title | Consumer Awareness of the Degree of Industrial Food Processing and the Association with Healthiness—A Pilot Study |
| title_full | Consumer Awareness of the Degree of Industrial Food Processing and the Association with Healthiness—A Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | Consumer Awareness of the Degree of Industrial Food Processing and the Association with Healthiness—A Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Consumer Awareness of the Degree of Industrial Food Processing and the Association with Healthiness—A Pilot Study |
| title_short | Consumer Awareness of the Degree of Industrial Food Processing and the Association with Healthiness—A Pilot Study |
| title_sort | consumer awareness of the degree of industrial food processing and the association with healthiness a pilot study |
| topic | industrial food processing ultraprocessed foods NOVA classification Nutri-Score healthiness perception consumer awareness |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/20/4438 |
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