Reference: PROJ/CI&DETS/2016/0008 & PROJ/CI&DETS/CGD/0012

Duration:

Project Coordinator: 

Prof. Raquel Guiné, PhD 

Coordinator in Slovenia:

Assist. Prof. Maša Černelič-Bizjak (SICRIS, ResearchGate)

Team members at UP Faculty of Health Sciences: 

Assist. Prof. Mojca Stubelj (SICRIS, ResearchGate)
Assist. Prof. Ana Petelin (SICRIS, ResearchGate)
Assist. Prof. Zala Jenko-Pražnikar (SICRIS, ResearchGate)

Countries involved: 

Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania, United States of America.

Web site: 

Abstract:

The role of food as a valuable ally to maintain a good health status and prevent or treat diseases has been well established nowadays, through countless scientific studies. Excess of fats, particularly saturated and trans fats, sugars or salt have been associated with many chronic diseases. Also the insufficient ingestion of fruits and vegetables, as a result of modern trends towards consumption of high levels of processed convenience foods, results in deficiencies in vitamins, dietary minerals, dietary fibres, bioactive substances such as for example antioxidants, among other extremely important food constituents. The human behaviours regarding foods are linked to a number of factors either of sociological nature or of psychological nature. Hence, the aim of this project is to undertake a study about the different psychic and social motivations that determine people’s eating patterns, either in relation to their choices or eating habits. To do this, factors linked to food choices will be evaluated in the following main areas: health motivations; economic factors; emotional aspects; cultural influences; marketing and commercials or environmental concerns. The study will be based on a questionnaire that will be prepared purposely for the project, and therefore adequate to evaluate the aspects that determine the objectives highlighted. The range of the study will be multinational, including different countries so as to gather information on a trans-frontier scale, that will be most valuable to produce relevant scientific outputs as well as directives that could be used in each of the countries to improve eating habits towards healthier diets.