Consumer response: the paradoxes of food and health

Abstract

The papers in the session "Food Culture and Consumer Response," show how important people's values, beliefs, aspirations and social context are to their dietary health. They also reveal several tensions that shape consumer responses to healthy food. This essay discusses the paradoxical nature of eating habits in general, and describes three paradoxes related specifically to the challenges of providing food for health in the 21st century: pleasure/health, technology/nature, innovation/nostalgia.

Eating Their Feelings: Examining Emotional Eating in At-Risk Groups in the United States

“…However, private behavior, related to consumer choice, is also becoming a focal point for action (Kersh and Morone 2005;Block et al 2009;Biltekoff 2010).…”

Individual, social-environmental, and physical-environmental factors that underlie sense of coherence in Dutch adults

“…As a result, there is decreased relevance and applicability of research findings for everyday life (5). For instance, eating is much more than only a health behavior (6). In everyday life, it is a complex, multifaceted practice influenced by many aspects (7), including, amongst others, personal belief systems and the wider social context (8,9).…”

Low‐Fat Versus Low‐Carbohydrate Diets, Weight Loss, Vascular Health, and Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease

“…For this reason, constant monitoring is needed to objectively unite behavior, reality, and progress in the most tactful manner, constantly reinforcing positive changes. Since humans eat with the mind as well as the mouth, food behavior must always be addressed, and conflicts abound 6 …”