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.