Perceptions of health risks and benefits associated with fish consumption among Russian consumers

Knowledge about differences in consumer perceptions of health risks and benefits related to fish consumption is important for the development of targeted health interventions associated with dietary choice. The purpose of this study is to identify individual differences in Russian consumers according to their perceptions of health risks and benefits associated with fish consumption. By application of a cluster analysis on perceptions of personal risks and benefits associated with the consumption of fish, four groups of Russian consumers were classified as: very positive; positive; moderately positive; and 'high risk-high benefit' about the healthiness of fish consumption. Differences in perceptions of personal risks and benefits across consumers were related to self-reported fish consumption, optimism about personal risks and benefits, and optimism about personal knowledge about risks and benefits. Implications for the development of targeted health interventions to influence perceptions of risks and benefits associated with fish consumption, and ultimately fish consumption, are discussed. It is concluded that optimism regarding perceptions and knowledge of health risks, and health benefits should be taken into account when developing interventions aimed at consumer health.     

Benefits, barriers, self-efficacy and knowledge regarding healthy foods; perception of African Americans living in eastern North Carolina

African Americans in the United States suffer from many health disparities such as obesity, diabetes or hypertension. Lifestyle factors including diet and physical activity play an important role in prevention of these health conditions. The purpose of this research project was to assess beliefs, barriers and self-efficacy of eating a healthy diet and self efficacy of shopping for foods such as whole grains or foods designated as low fat or low sodium. Additionally, the objective was to assess beliefs about healthfulness, appropriate consumption, and protective aspect of specific foods including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The assessment was done using a survey instrument developed for this study. Data collection took place at two church locations. Data were obtained from 57 African Americans, mean age 50 years old (SD 12.70) completed the survey. The majority of respondents (58.1%) were females and most (75%) had at least some college education. Generally, benefits of eating healthy foods received considerably higher scores compared to barriers of eating healthy. A belief that healthy foods would help to take care of one''s body received the highest mean score while a belief that healthy foods are too expensive had the highest score from all barriers. The results showed high self-efficacy of eating and purchasing healthy foods, high awareness of knowledge regarding foods associated with disease prevention but low awareness of recommendations for fruits and vegetables. The high scores for benefits, self-efficacy and knowledge regarding eating healthy foods did not translate into the perception of intake of such foods. Most participants believed that they do not eat enough of healthy foods. Interventions design to help African Americans make dietary changes should be culturally relevant and should involved working on a community level utilizing messages that are familiar and relevant to African Americans.     

Risks and benefits of consumption of Great Lakes fish

Background: Beneficial effects of fish consumption on early cognitive development and cardiovascular health have been attributed to the omega-3 fatty acids in fish and fish oils, but toxic chemicals in fish may adversely affect these health outcomes. Risk–benefit assessments of fish consumption have frequently focused on methylmercury and omega-3 fatty acids, not persistent pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls, and none have evaluated Great Lakes fish consumption.Objectives: The risks and benefits of fish consumption have been established primarily for marine fish. Here, we examine whether sufficient data are available to evaluate the risks and benefits of eating freshwater fish from the Great Lakes.Methods: We used a scoping review to integrate information from multiple state, provincial, and federal agency sources regarding the contaminants and omega-3 fatty acids in Great Lakes fish and fish consumers, consumption rates and fish consumption advisories, and health effects of contaminants and omega-3 fatty acids.Data synthesis: Great Lakes fish contain persistent contaminants—many of which have documented adverse health effects —that accumulate in humans consuming them. In contrast, data are sparse on omega-3 fatty acids in the fish and their consumers. Moreover, few studies have documented the social and cultural benefits of Great Lakes fish consumption, particularly for subsistence fishers and native communities. At this time, federal and state/provincial governments provide fish consumption advisories based solely on risk.Conclusions: Our knowledge of Great Lakes fish has critical gaps, particularly regarding the benefits of consumption. A risk–benefit analysis requires more information than is currently available on the concentration of omega-3 fatty acids in Great Lakes fish and their absorption by fish eaters in addition to more information on the social, cultural, and health consequences of changes in the amount of fish consumed.     

The factors associated with the belief that vegetarian diets provide health benefits

The aim of this paper is to examine the factors associated with the belief that vegetarian diets provide health benefits. A random population mail survey about food choice was conducted among a sample of 1000 South Australians. An additional (non-random) survey of 106 vegetarians and semi-vegetarians was also conducted, giving a total of 707 participants from both samples. The main predictors of the belief that vegetarian diets provide health benefits for all respondents were found to be the belief that meat is neither healthy nor necessary and frequent searching for information on healthy eating. However, there were differences between vegetarians, non-vegetarians and semi-vegetarians. In particular, health issues were relatively more important for semi-vegetarians and vegetarians, while knowledge and convenience issues were most important for non-vegetarians. The results have important implications for public health. Many South Australians perceive that health benefits are associated with eating a vegetarian diet, which may also apply to plant-based diets in general. However, if non-vegetarians are to obtain some of the health benefits associated with the consumption of a plant-based diet, they require information on the preparation of quick and easy plant- based meals.     

An overview of findings from a six-country European survey on consumer attitudes to the metabolic syndrome, genetics in nutrition, and potential agro-food technologies

Summary Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors that can lead to type 2 diabetes and/or heart disease, is at the centre of LIPGENE. This European Union (EU)‐funded project integrates human nutrition, genomics, agro‐food, social and economic analysis. In the social science module of the project, a six‐country survey was carried out to provide data on consumers’ attitudes towards the metabolic syndrome, potential agro‐food technologies and nutrigenomics. A total of 5967 participants aged 15 years plus from six European countries were interviewed. Heart disease, obesity, bulimia, anorexia and type 2 diabetes were the most frequently identified diet‐related diseases. Nearly 30% of participants self‐reported suffering from stress, and one in five reported having central obesity. High blood pressure was identified as an extremely high/high‐risk condition for almost half of the sample, followed by high cholesterol. Respondents reported the three most important ways of reducing personal risk of type 2 diabetes or heart disease to be increasing physical activity, eating more fruit and vegetables, and decreasing intake of fatty foods. However, lack of motivation, lack of information and lack of knowledge were identified as barriers to healthy actions. Participants associated the concept of ‘functional foods’ with fruit and vegetables, which were consumed at least once a week by most of them, but they also reported consuming high‐fibre products, probiotic yogurt drinks, foods with added vitamins and/or minerals, and cholesterol‐lowering spreads/drinks. However, the most commonly desired health benefits from foods to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease were a cholesterol‐lowering effect, blood sugar control and weight reduction. The preferred foods to decrease metabolic syndrome were fish, cheese and yogurt ‘with healthy fat’, but these foods were less acceptable to respondents if developed through genetic modification (GM) technology, and more than 30% of the sample would not eat GM foods at all. However, participants said that they would be more willing to consume GM foods if these foods provided health benefits. The survey also showed that many people would be willing to undergo a genetic test for general interest or in order for a diet to be tailored to their needs.     

Comprehension of Fish Consumption Guidelines Among Older Male Anglers in Wisconsin

Although awareness of Wisconsin’s fish consumption guidelines is high among older male anglers, little is known about comprehension of guideline content, and many anglers have levels of contaminants high enough to be associated with adverse health outcomes. The Environmental Protection Agency Great Lakes Restoration Initiative supported evaluation and revision of Wisconsin’s fish consumption guideline program, using a web based survey of male Wisconsin anglers over the age of 50. A total of 3740 men completed the online survey; the median age of respondents was 62 years, and nearly all had lived and fished in Wisconsin for over 10 years. Comprehension of guideline content was relatively high, although two knowledge gaps were identified, one relating to mercury exposures and fish preparation, and the other to polychlorinated biphenyl content of certain fish species. The fishing regulations booklet distributed with annual fishing licenses and warning signs posted at fishing locations were commonly reported sources of guideline information in Wisconsin. Residents of coastal counties and consumers of Great Lakes fish were more likely to report guideline knowledge and behavior changes reflective of guideline knowledge, when compared to inland residents and those not consuming Great Lakes fish, respectively. In general, Wisconsin’s consumption guidelines do not appear to discourage men from eating the fish they catch; rather, the most common behavioral changes included modifying the species eaten or the water body source of their meals. Continued efforts to educate anglers about the risks and benefits of fish consumption are needed.     

The extent and nature of "health messages" in magazine food advertising in Australia

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the extent and nature of healthy eating messages Australian consumers are currently exposed through magazine advertising. METHOD: Analysis of healthy eating messages in advertisements found in the top 30 Australian magazines between January and June 2005 was conducted. Advertisements were analysed and classified by source, subject, food category, food type, food occasion, type of claim and disease type. RESULTS: A total of 1,040 advertisements were identified which contained a healthy eating message; after removing duplicates, 390 advertisements were analysed. Culinary and women's magazines contained the greatest number of healthy eating messages. The most frequently occurring food category utilising a health message in an advertisement was dairy and dairy substitutes (71/390), closely followed by fruit and fruit juice (70/390). Overall, 31 advertisements referred to a specific disease, health problem, or risk factor and the most commonly mentioned were heart disease/heart-attack (12) cancer (seven) and diabetes (five). CONCLUSIONS: Majority of healthy eating messages currently advertised are by manufacturers, double that of retailers, with non-commercial sources representing only 2%. Processed foods were the most commonly advertised food form which contained a healthy eating message, this is of concern given the generally low nutritional value of these foods. Overall, there are a large number of advertisements in Australian magazines that contain healthy eating messages that may have the potential to communicate to consumers that there are health benefits associated with the consumption of certain foods. IMPLICATIONS: Future research to assess the accuracy of the information in such advertisements, and to examine consumer interpretations of these health message are important.     

Perceived barriers to consumption of fish among Norwegian women

This study aimed to characterize constraints on consumption of fish perceived by consumers in Norway. A random sample of Norwegian women aged 45-69 years answered a self-administered mail questionnaire in 1996 about eating habits, perceived barriers to fish consumption, socioeconomic status, and questions related to health. Altogether, 9407 women answered the questionnaire (response rate: 52.5%). Data were analyzed by means of logistic regression. Limited supply of fish products that satisfy children's wishes reduce at-home fish consumption. People with health problems and those who wish to lose weight are dissatisfied with the range of products offered in the marketplace. Satisfaction with quality and availability of wild lean codfish, especially in inland regions, is lower than for aqua-cultured fat salmon. Neither income nor education or health factors were significantly associated with consumption levels among those who would like to eat more fish. Higher education and income were associated with increased dissatisfaction about fish consumption, but also with reduced perception of most barriers. It is concluded that improvements in the supply of high-quality fresh and processed fish products that satisfy (a) children's wishes, (b) health-oriented family members, and (c) convenience-oriented consumers, will significantly increase at-home consumption of fish.     

Fishing, fish consumption, and awareness about warnings in a university community in central New Jersey in 2007, and comparisons with 2004

Fish are a healthy source of protein, but the risks from consuming fish have become a national concern. Over the past 7 years, there have been a number of national advisories regarding saltwater fish. Fish consumption patterns and public knowledge about advisories and warnings have been examined for at-risk populations, but there is little information about the latter for a general population, or of temporal trends in such information acquisition. Information about the benefits and health risks of consuming fish, health warnings from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Food and Drug Administration, belief in these warnings, and trust in different sources of information were examined in a sample of 460 people within a university community in central New Jersey in 2007. The null hypothesis of no differences in fishing, consumption, and knowledge about advisories as a function of age, gender, ethnicity, and education was tested. In 2007, only 30% of the study population fished, and 83% of the study population ate fish, either commercial or self-caught. There were differences in fishing behavior, consumption patterns, and awareness of advisories as a function of gender, ethnicity, age, and education. Most notably, nearly twice as many men as women fished, Whites fished more and Blacks and Indian/Pakistanis fished less than other ethnic groups, and people aged 23-35 fished more than did others. About 8% of fish meals were from self-caught fish, 32% were eaten in restaurants, and 60% were of fish bought in stores and cooked at home. Men ate more meals of self-caught fish than did females, and Asians ate more meals of fish in restaurants, and Blacks ate more meals of store-bought fish than other ethnic groups. The total number of fish meals consumed per month increased significantly with age. Overall, more people had heard about the benefits (92%) than the risks (78%) of fish consumption. When asked whom they trust for information about health benefits and risks from eating fish, doctors were rated the highest, followed by professors; friends and fishermen were rated the lowest. We then examined whether there were any changes from 2004 to 2007 in the knowledge of the health benefits and warnings about fish consumption, and the trustworthiness of different sources of information. In other words, have communication efforts of the state and federal agencies resulted in any appreciable increase in overall awareness of the benefits or risks of fish consumption. The greatest change in the parameters examined from 2004 to 2007 was an overall decrease in fish consumption from an average of 7.9 meals per month in 2004 to about six meals per month in 2007. This suggests that the unintended effect of some of the warnings and advisories is to decrease overall fish consumption, rather than to switch from fish species with high levels of contaminants to those with low levels.     

Anglers' attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors as impacted by the Michigan Fish Consumption Advisory.

This study examines the relationship between a person's knowledge that a current ego-involving behavior may include health risks and the undertaking of a subsequent behavior change to reduce this risk. Specifically, 396 licensed anglers were surveyed concerning their beliefs about the health risks of consuming sport-caught fish, their knowledge of the risk information contained in the Michigan Fish Consumption Advisory, and their personal fish consumption behavior. Sixty-five percent of the anglers surveyed reported reading part or all of the Michigan Fish Consumption Advisory; however, as a group, they perceived the risks from eating sport-caught fish as small.     

Consumers’ knowledge of healthy diets and its correlation with dietary behaviour

Background: Procedural nutrition knowledge is knowledge of how to eat a healthy diet. This type of knowledge potentially plays an important role in dietary behaviour. Previous studies of consumers' nutrition knowledge did not systematically assess procedural nutrition knowledge. Thus, we administered a survey of procedural nutrition knowledge to Swiss consumers to assess the prevalence of misconceptions about healthy eating. Methods: We developed 13 procedural nutrition knowledge items. Nine items were based on qualitative consumer interviews and four items were derived from expert guidelines. The items had a true/false format. We administered the items to a random population sample in a written postal survey (n = 1,043). The survey also assessed the consumers' self‐reported food consumption. For each respondent, we computed the number of correctly answered knowledge items and we correlated this number with food consumption frequencies. Results: The procedural nutrition knowledge items received between 3% and 38% incorrect answers. Individuals with a higher number of correctly answered items consumed more vegetables (r = 0.29). Higher knowledge was associated with the female gender, younger age, higher education, nutrition‐related qualifications and not being on a diet (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that misconceptions exist in the general population about healthy eating. These misconceptions are associated with a decreased consumption of foods usually defined as healthy. Some population sub‐groups seem particularly susceptible to holding such misconceptions. The implications for nutrition education, particularly concerning the role of fruit and vegetable consumption as well as the food pyramid are discussed.     

Factors Explaining Seafood Consumption among Hispanics Living in New York City

Responses (n = 373) to a bilingual mail survey were used to assess factors explaining seafood consumption in a sample of Hispanics living in New York City, 97% of whom consumed seafood. Multiple regression analysis examined the roles of background characteristics (sociodemographic factors, Hispanic background characteristics, past seafood experience) and beliefs in explaining the variation in three measures of seafood consumption: past 2-week frequency of all seafood and usual monthly consumption of noncanned and canned seafood. Background and belief variables explained more of the variation in consumption than did either type of variable alone for all three measures of consumption. Overall, explanatory factors for the noncanned and canned models differed. Household size was positively associated with all measures of consumption while country of origin was associated with two measures. Beliefs positively related to consumption were that seafood is healthy and nutritious, part of religious and family traditions, familiar to prepare, worth buying, and tastes good. Dislike for odor and touch and the belief that preparing seafood is too much trouble were negatively associated with consumption. Differences in beliefs and past experience were observed among the four main countries of origin represented: United States, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic.     

Bread consumption in the UK: what are the main attitudinal factors affecting current intake and its place in a healthy diet?

Despite efforts to promote the consumption of starchy foods, UK consumers are not meeting the recommended proportion of energy from starch for the population. Awareness of the nutritional benefits of starchy foods is poor and consumers tend to have highly divergent attitudes to, and beliefs about, these foods – although starchy foods are generally viewed as good for health, they are also often described as ‘fattening’ and avoided by those trying to lose weight. Concern about wheat allergy and other gastrointestinal problems commonly associated with bread in particular are also barriers to it being perceived as a ‘healthy food’. There is therefore clearly a mismatch between consumers' perceptions of starchy foods and current nutritional guidelines. This paper considers the evidence for and against the most common consumer perceptions around the health effects of bread and the possible impact of reduced levels of consumption on the nutrient intake of individuals.     

The public health rationale for promoting plant protein as an important part of a sustainable and healthy diet

Sustainable diets are proposed as a means to improve public health and food security and to reduce the impact of the food system on the environment. Guidance around sustainable diets includes a reduction of animal products in order to move towards a more plant‐based diet, meaning that plant‐originated foods are a predominant, but not the sole component of a diet. The main principles of a sustainable diet (as provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization) are to consume a variety of unprocessed or minimally processed foods, mainly as wholegrains, pulses, fruits and vegetables, with moderate amounts of eggs, dairy, poultry and fish and modest amounts of ruminant meat, which are consistent with the current UK healthy eating recommendations (e.g. Eatwell Guide). The aim of this review was twofold: (i) to discuss public health challenges associated with consumers’ knowledge regarding protein sustainability, healthier protein sources and protein requirements, and (ii) to review potential approaches to facilitate the shift towards a more sustainable diet. Consumers would benefit from receiving clear guidance around how much protein is needed to meet their daily requirements. The public health message directed to a consumer could highlight that desired health outcomes, such as muscle protein synthesis and weight control, can be achieved with both sources of protein (i.e. animal and plant‐based), and that what is more important is the nature of the ‘protein package’. Health promotion and education around the benefits of plant‐based protein could be one of the strategies encouraging the wider population to consider a shift towards a predominantly plant‐based diet.     

Human biomonitoring to optimize fish consumption advice: reducing uncertainty when evaluating benefits and risks

National fish consumption advisories that are based solely on assessment of risk of exposure to contaminants without consideration of consumption benefits result in overly restrictive advice that discourages eating fish even in areas where such advice is unwarranted. In fact, generic fish advisories may have adverse public health consequences because of decreased fish consumption and substitution of foods that are less healthy. Public health is on the threshold of a new era for determining actual exposures to environmental contaminants, owing to technological advances in analytical chemistry. It is now possible to target fish consumption advice to specific at-risk populations by evaluating individual contaminant exposures and health risk factors. Because of the current epidemic of nutritionally linked disease, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, general recommendations for limiting fish consumption are ill conceived and potentially dangerous.     

Responding to food,environment and health challenges by changing meat consumption behaviours in consumers

Current meat consumption levels impact environment and health, highlighting a need to reduce meat consumption and increase that of plant‐based alternative proteins. There appears to be a lack of awareness amongst consumers as to how meat consumption affects health and climate change, which is likely to undermine intention to change. Of those who intend to change, many do not translate that intention to reduce meat consumption into behaviour change. Consumers appear open to the notion of reducing meat consumption but lack the knowledge, motivation or capability to make such changes. For many, meat eating is a traditional social practice, re‐enforced by economics, ecological, technological and institutional factors, including media and marketing. Many food choices are not logical reasoned actions but subconscious, automatic, rapid decisions, relying on heuristic processing and heavily influenced by contextual cues. Promising targets for changing individual consumption patterns could focus on closing the awareness‐intention and intention‐behaviour gaps. Modifying contextual determinants of food choice, highlighting personally relevant internal motivators related to individual requirements, and aligning such messages with positive re‐enforcement about animal welfare and environment would close the awareness‐intention gap. A framework of reference for a healthy, sustainable diet, improvements in the range, sensory attributes, convenience and ease of use of meat substitutes, reduction in the meat portion components of ready meals (by substitution with other foods), reformulation of processed products to include a greater proportion of non‐meat proteins, economic incentives and emphasis on the benefits to environment and animal welfare could reduce the intention‐behaviour gap. Better alignment of environmental and health messages would concentrate public health messages and effort to create a market environment that facilitates sustainable food choices to produce moderate population level wide‐scale changes in plant protein consumption, with significant impact on health and environmental outcomes.     

Testing the influence of the health belief model and a television program on nutrition behavior

This study proposed to identify relevant factors of the health belief model (HBM) that provide motivation for people to engage in healthy dietary behavior. The impact of a TV program was also assessed using a longitudinal study with 300 participants and measuring the influence of path coefficients in the HBM that predicted salience, motivation, and healthy eating practices. Findings suggested that nutrition behavior was influenced by susceptibility and efficacy mediated through health motivation and salience. Program viewing boosted salience regardless of age, education, or household size by significantly increasing viewers' confidence in their nutrition knowledge base.     

Individual determinants of fish consumption: application of the theory of planned behaviour

This study investigates individual determinants of fish consumption behaviour based on cross-sectional data collected in Belgium. Analyses show that determinants as hypothesised by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and personal characteristics influence fish consumption intention and frequency. Favourable attitude, high subjective norm and high perceived behavioural control have a positive impact on fish consumption decisions. Significant habit effects are detected when including habit as a separate regressor of behavioural intention and behaviour. Appreciation of the attribute taste emerges as the most important driver for eating fish, followed closely by health. Bones and price constitute the negative attitude factor, which, however, does not directly reduce behavioural intention. Individual determinants pertain to gender, age, children, income, education level and region. Fish consumption frequency in compliance with health recommendations is higher among women and increases with increasing age, while the presence of children in the household leads to lower fish consumption. The lowest income class has the lowest fish consumption frequency. Higher education results in a higher intention to eat fish but has no effect on the consumption frequency itself. The coastal region of West Flanders is the region with the highest consumption. Food involvement correlates positively with fish consumption intention and frequency, whereas no significant impact of food-health awareness is found.     

An examination of cancer risk beliefs among adults from Toronto's Somali, Chinese, Russian and Spanish-speaking communities

BACKGROUND: Canada's growing ethnocultural diversity challenges health professionals to develop culturally sensitive cancer prevention strategies. Little is known about the ethnocultural specificity of cancer risk beliefs. This qualitative pilot study examined cancer risk beliefs, focusing on diet, among adults from Toronto's Somali, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish-speaking communities. METHOD: Group interviews (n = 4) were conducted with convenience samples of adults (total n = 45) from four ethnocultural communities (total 45 participants). RESULTS: The constant comparison method of data analysis identified three common themes: knowledge of cancer risk factors, concern about the food supply, and the roles of spiritual and emotional well-being. Two areas of contrasting belief concerning specific mediators of cancer risk were identified. INTERPRETATION: Findings support the investigation of cultural-specific health promotion strategies emphasizing both the maintenance of traditional cancer protective eating practices and the adoption of additional healthy eating practices among new Canadians. More research is needed to enhance our understanding of ethnoculturally specific cancer risk beliefs and practices to ensure the cultural relevance of programming.