Environmental changes resulting from human activity and the negative impact of civilisational megatrends are being noticed and criticised increasingly often, and their consequences are becoming extremely severe. If people do not change their habits, changes in our ecosystems will become irreversible and it will be impossible to live in such environment. Thus, the aim of the paper is to review the lifestyles of responsible consumers against the background of the sustainable development paradigm. To engage in the debate as to how a sustainable lifestyle can be operationalized, we conducted a traditional, narrative literature review. Apart from revising the theoretical framework of a sustainable lifestyle, we describe selected lifestyles (such as lifestyle of health and sustainability, wellness, hygge, lagom , slow living, smart living, low-carbon lifestyles) and consumer behaviour patterns (fair trade, values and lifestyle segmentation). Each of these lifestyles relates to a broader or narrower extent to sustainable development, but none of the lifestyles is universal. Conscious and responsible consumer behaviour requires a long-term process and to a large extent depends on individual, political and marketing factors. Finally, we made an evaluation of the research used, pointing out challenges to be implemented, which will contribute to the development, enhancement and prominence of a sustainable lifestyle.

The aim of this paper is to identify preferred Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) medical tourism destinations (MTD) and medical services in the context of socio-demographic determinants. The computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) method was used. A total of 282 completed self-administered questionnaires were collected from Britons and Germans, who constitute a large segment of medical tourists in CEE. Subsequently, the responses were analysed using the chi-square test and the method of logistic regression function. The results indicated that the chosen destinations and medical services vary depending on gender, age and nationality. The survey results have implications for scholars, allowing them to understand the way Britons and Germans evaluate MTDs and medical services in CEE, as well as for medical tourism facilitators/brokers and destination management organisations engaged in the process of creating a medical tourism product. The obtained results have also implications for further research related to the development of medical tourism in CEE.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to analyse the use of dietary supplements to support weight reduction (DSSWR) in adults according to sociodemographic background, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), body fat percentage (%BF) and level of physical activity (PA).MethodParticipants (n = 1130) were recruited from a region of Poland with a high rate of adult overweight and obesity. Based on anthropometric data, BMI and WHR were calculated. %BF was assessed using a bioimpedance method. To examine the association between DSSWR use and sociodemographic factors, BMI, WHR, %BF and PA multiple logistic regression were conducted.ResultsThe rate of DSSWR use in the group studied was high (69.5%). A higher proportion of women, individuals aged 18–35 years, those who had completed higher education, those who did not report financial status as “poor”, with a BMI < 18.5, normal %BF and individuals with a high level of PA used DSSWR. In complete case analysis (n = 1108), primarily financial status reported as “good” (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.69, 2.81) or “hard to say” (OR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.86, 3.12) (vs. “poor”) and female sex (OR = 2.59, 95% CI: 2.17, 3.08) were associated with DSSWR intake.ConclusionIt seems that primarily financial status and sex, but also age, education, and level of PA, have significance in DSSWR use in adults and may be considered when developing appropriate strategies for body weight management and health promotion.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify Poland’s image as a medical tourism destination (MTD). Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 282 German and British medical tourists, using a self-administered questionnaire. The Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing method was used to conduct the survey. Subsequently, the responses were analysed using advanced statistical tools (McNemar’s exact test, Cochran’s Q test and Chi-square test). Findings Before visiting Poland, the respondents perceived the country through the prism of medical attributes, whereas after the visit, they perceived it through the prism of non-medical attributes. Research limitations/implications Identification of a set of MTD image characteristics has important implications for scholars, allowing them to understand attributes which shape projected and perceived MTD image. Such construct can also be a useful tool for marketing planners, destination managers and marketers to create an effective marketing policy and projected image of MTDs based on these features. Originality/value The study fills an important gap regarding the lack of conceptual and empirical content allowing for exploration of MTD image.

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