Australian farmers\u27 and food processors\u27 values

Purpose &ndash; The aim of this exploratory study was to examine and compare a range of business values held by farmers and food processors. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; Questionnaires with a section on business values were posted to 200 farmers and 200 food processing businesses in Victoria, Australia, with response rates of 44 per cent (n=69) and 31 per cent (n=48), respectively, achieved. Findings &ndash; The most important of the 28 value items for farmers were high quality produce, honesty, and caring for employees. For processors, the most important values were quality products, customer value, and caring for employees. Between group differences reached statistical significance for one-third of the items. In particular, processor businesses valued innovation and convenience products more highly and had a stronger process orientation than did farming businesses. Environmental sustainability, caring for the community, and providing healthy products were more integral to farming than processing businesses. Research limitations/implications &ndash; The main limitation was the small sample sizes, although it is likely that response bias was not high. Future research could survey a larger sample of food industry representatives and examine the values held by other food industry sectors. Practical implications &ndash; This information could increase the effectiveness of communications with industry groups on a range of issues and in the formulation of appropriate health and environmental policies. Originality/value &ndash; To the authors\u27 knowledge, this is the first study to compare the values of farmers and food processors. This information is particularly important for those in the food industry and health and environmental policy makers.<br /

Nutrition knowledge and food consumption: can nutrition knowledge change food behaviour?

The status and explanatory role of nutrition knowledge is uncertain in public health nutrition. Much of the uncertainty about this area has been generated by conceptual confusion about the nature of knowledge and behaviours, and, nutrition knowledge and food behaviours in particular. So the paper&nbsp; describes several key concepts in some detail. The main argument is that \u27nutrition knowledge\u27 is a necessary but not sufficient factor for changes in consumers\u27 food behaviours. Several classes of food behaviours and their causation are discussed. They are influenced by a number of environmental and intra-individual factors, including motivations. The interplay between motivational factors and information processing is important for nutrition promoters as is the distinction between declarative and procedural&nbsp; knowledge. Consideration of the domains of nutrition knowledge shows that their utility is likely to be related to consumers\u27 and nutritionists\u27 particular goals and viewpoints. A brief survey of the recent literature shows that the evidence for the influence of nutrition knowledge on food behaviours is mixed. Nevertheless, recent work suggests that nutrition knowledge may play a small but pivotal role in the adoption of healthier food habits. The implications of this overview for public health nutrition are: (i) We need to pay greater attention to the development of children\u27s and adults\u27 knowledge frameworks (schema building); (ii) There is a need for a renewed proactive role for the education sector; (iii) We need to take account of consumers\u27 personal food goals and their acquisition of procedural knowledge which will enable them to attain their goals; (iv) Finally, much more research into the ways people learn and use food-related knowledge is required in the form of experimental interventions and longitudinal studies.<br /

Diet and hypertension in the Asia-pacific region : a brief review

In this paper, the possible reasons for the prevalence of hypertension in the Asia&ndash;Pacific region are examined, along with its likely dietary, nutritional and sociocultural causes. This brief survey indicates the need for more comprehensive blood pressure monitoring and surveillance throughout the region. Findings from research conducted in the region and elsewhere suggest that a variety of aetiological factors predict the occurrence of hypertension, most of which are similar to those observed in western populations. However, several lines of research suggest that obesity, abdominal obesity and a number of dietary constituents, in addition to salt, may play relatively greater roles than in western populations. It is argued that hypertension may be prevented via a combination of individual, community and governmental approaches which promote social capital, environmentally sustainable food production and the public health.<br /

Nutrition communication: do we need a new outlook?

The present paper will discuss the nature of nutrition communication and knowledge in relation to novel foods. The paper starts with an introduction to trends in present-day society, then focuses on the concepts of knowledge and information in relation to human needs and motivation. Next, the relevance of food and nutrition communication to consumer lifestyles is discussed. This is followed by consideration of consumer issues related to novel foods. The key conclusions are that nutrition communication is a minor part of most consumers\u27 lifestyles and that the promotion of novel foods must be based on the dissemination of sound nutrition principles throughout the various values and lifestyles segments of the population.<br /

\u27Social drivers\u27 as predictors of yoghurt consumption in China

A survey of yoghurt consumption by female consumers in Beijing showed 42% consuming often, 26% occasionally and 32% never. Consumers were generally younger and more driven by materialistic values than non-consumers. &quot;Social drivers&quot; are presented as a 1001 for marketers to predict the use of consumerproducts.<br /

An examination of the mediating role of salt knowledge and beliefs on the relationship between socio-demographic factors and discretionary salt use: a cross-sectional study

Background Discretionary salt use varies according to socio-demographic factors. However, it is unknown whether salt knowledge and beliefs mediate this relationship. This study examined the direct and indirect effect of socio-demographic factors on salt knowledge and discretionary salt use in a sample of 530 Australian adults.Methods An internet based cross-sectional survey was used to collect data for this study. Participants completed an online questionnaire which assessed their salt knowledge, beliefs and salt use behaviour. Mplus was used to conduct structural equation modelling to estimate direct and indirect effects.Results The mean age of the participants was 49.2 years, and about a third had tertiary education. Discretionary salt use was inversely related to age (r=-0.11; p&lt;0.05), and declarative salt knowledge (knowledge of factual information) scores (r = -0.17; p&lt;0.01), but was positively correlated with misconceptions about salt (r = 0.09; p&lt;0.05) and beliefs about the taste of salt (r = 0.51; p&lt;0.001). Structural equation modelling showed age, education and gender were indirectly associated with the use of discretionary salt through three mediating pathways; declarative salt knowledge, misconceptions about salt and salt taste beliefs.Conclusions Inequalities observed between socio-demographic groups in their use of discretionary salt use can potentially be reduced through targeted salt knowledge and awareness campaigns.<br /

Consumer concerns about food and health : examination of general and specific relationships with personal values and demographics

Purpose &ndash; Aims to investigate the relationships between consumers\u27 food concerns and their personal values and demographic characteristics. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; A questionnaire was administered in a cross sectional random population survey conducted among a sample of 1,000 adults in South Australia. The questionnaire elicited information about respondents\u27 concerns about 20 food and health issues, the perceived importance of 23 values items derived from the Schwartz values inventory, and their demographic characteristics. Findings &ndash; Principal components analyses derived four food concerns factors and six personal values factors. Respondents\u27 safety concerns scores were positively associated with devout-tradition, order-discipline, and moderate-independent values. Their disease concerns score was positively linked to beauty-nature, devout-tradition, and order-discipline. Multiple regression and chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID) analyses showed that individual values items were strong predictors of consumers; specific concerns such as food and heart disease, and, genetic modification of foods. Research limitations/implications &ndash; The research was based on a cross sectional study. More refined indices of food concerns and personal values should be used in replications of this preliminary study. Practical implications &ndash; The findings support the use of psychographic market segmentation approaches in communication programs about food and health issues. Originality/value &ndash; The findings suggest that personal values, may be stronger predictors of consumers\u27 concerns about food and health issues than demographics. They also show that measurement level of values and concerns influence the observed strength of their relationships.<br /

Current levels of salt knowledge: a review of the literature

&nbsp;High salt intake increases the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Given the role of knowledge as a determinant of food intake, this paper aims to review the current levels of salt knowledge and the association between salt knowledge and dietary salt intake and salt-related dietary practices in the general population. Twenty two studies were included in the review. In general, the studies showed consumers were able to identify the health risks associated with high salt intake. However, knowledge of recommended daily intakes, understanding of the relationships between salt and sodium and foods that contribute most salt to the diet were poor. Four of the five studies which examined the relationships between salt knowledge and salt-related dietary practices reported significant associations. Two important gaps in the current literature were identified. First, there is a need for a robustly validated tool to examine salt knowledge and its impact on salt intake. Second, a comprehensive salt knowledge assessment should include assessment of procedural, as well as declarative, knowledge. &copy; 2014, by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Benefits and barriers to the consumption of a vegetarian diet in Australia

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine consumers\u27 perceived benefits and barriers to the consumption of a vegetarian diet.Design: Survey (written questionnaire) that included questions on perceived benefits and barriers to the consumption of a vegetarian diet.Setting: South Australia.Subjects: Six hundred and one randomly selected South Australians.Results: The main perceived barriers to adopting a vegetarian diet were enjoying eating meat and an unwillingness to alter eating habits. This was the case for men, women and all age groups, although there were sex and age differences present in over half of the barrier items. For example, family food preferences were a greater problem for women than for men, while the oldest group was more likely to agree that humans are &lsquo;meant&rsquo; to eat meat than the younger groups. The main benefits associated with vegetarian diets were health benefits: increased fruit and vegetable intake, decreased saturated fat intake, weight control. Animal welfare-related benefits and disease prevention were also important. Age and sex differences were apparent, although age differences were more important than sex differences.Conclusions: The majority of respondents perceived there to be health benefits associated with the consumption of a vegetarian diet, but also, predictably, enjoyed eating meat. Given this, it is likely that interest in plant-based diets that contain some meat is higher than that in no-meat diets. An understanding of the perceived benefits and barriers of consuming a vegetarian diet will allow the implementation of strategies to influence meat and vegetarianism beliefs, dietary behaviour and, hence, public health.<br /

Analysing health claims policy in Australia : a case study of evidence in food and nutrition policy-making

Purpose: Health claims generally describe an association between a food product and a health outcome. There is debate whether health claims promote or obstruct healthy food selection behaviour. This study investigates the role of evidence in food and nutrition policy-making. The research question is how and why was health claims policy made in Australia? The research is innovative in its critical analysis design and its focus on building theory to help improve food and nutrition policy-making processes and outcomes.Methods: A case study design was adopted in which events, stakeholders and issues associated with the policy review were described from data generated from interviews and documentary sources. A content-analysis tool is being used to critically analyse textual data. Concepts in the text are being identified and relationships among the policy concepts, stakeholders and processes are being mapped.Findings: The analysis of data associated with the policy review is revealing a pattern of relationships among stakeholders, processes and concepts around shared values, beliefs and interests towards food and health. Broader food regulation contexts have influenced the decision-making environment. The pattern of relationships shares common characteristics with Sabatier&rsquo;s &lsquo;Advocacy Coalition Framework&rsquo; theoretical explanation of policy-making.Conclusions: The study findings have implications for health claims policy and practice in Australia. As a case study of evidence in food and nutrition policy-making, this research highlights the role of competing interests, beliefs and values in evidence interpretation. Challenges are identified in undertaking food policy research.<br /