Positive Attitudes toward Organic, Local, and Sustainable Foods Are Associated with Higher Dietary Quality among Young Adults

Abstract

Scant evidence is available on the relationship between preferences for organic, local, sustainable, and non-processed foods (i.e., alternative food production practices) and dietary quality. This cross-sectional study examined the characteristics and dietary behaviors (e.g., consumption of fruit, vegetables, fast food, etc.) of young adults who reported placing low, moderate, or high importance on alternative food production practices. A diverse sample of 1,201 students at a two-year community college and a four-year public university in the Twin Cities, MN, completed the Student Health and Wellness Study survey in spring 2010. Chi-square tests examined differences in attitudes across demographic characteristics. Linear regression adjusted dietary intake across attitudes. About half (49%) of young adults placed moderate to high importance on alternative production practices, and few demographic differences across attitudes were found. Young adults who placed high importance on alternative production practices consumed 1.3 greater servings of fruits and vegetables (p<0.001), more dietary fiber (p<0.001), fewer added sugars (p<0.001) and less fat (p=0.025) than those who placed low importance on these practices. Young adults who placed high importance on alternative food production practices also consumed breakfast about one more day per week and fast food half as often as those who placed low importance on these practices (p<0.001). Study findings suggest that nutrition messaging around social and environmental implications of food production practices may be well received by this age group. Experimental studies are needed to investigate whether attitudes toward alternative production practices can be manipulated to improve dietary quality.

Factors affecting consumer attitudes towards food products with sustainable attributes

“…It is important to highlight that, as showed by many studies, there is also a lack of knowledge and confusion regarding the concept of sustainable food choices and the corresponding logos and labelling (Grunert et al 2013;Pelletier et al 2013). …”

Food Shopping Profiles and Their Association with Dietary Patterns: A Latent Class Analysis

“…Based on previous research, these domains were identified as the most salient for healthy eating among a college population. 10,11,16 “Conscientious” shopping has been associated with healthier diets, 11 while on-/near-campus shopping has been associated with less healthy diets, among college students. 10 In addition, access to supermarkets compared to convenience stores, tend to be associated with healthier diets.…”

“…16 For many of the food shopping items, test-retest and/or construct validity have been established in previous research. 11,17–20 …”

Determinants of local food purchase Insight from a consumer survey in South Tyrol (Italy)

“…Previous studies associated more supportive attitudes towards local food in elderly respondents living in rural areas (Racine et al 2013, Megicks et al 2012, MirosaLawson 2012, Khan-Prior 2010, Tregear-Ness 2005, Brown 2003, Wolf 1997, with women generally exhibiting more positive attitudes than men (Cholette et al 2013, Pelletier et al 2013, Cranfield 2012, Bellows et al 2010). Notably Chambers et al (2007) 'could not identify any differences in attitudes between urban and rural consumers' (Feldmann-Hamm 2015: 156).…”