Marcos Mora

Food neophobia, nanotechnology and satisfaction with life

This study investigates the relationship between food neophobia, satisfaction with life and food-related life, and acceptance of the use of nanotechnology in food production. Questionnaire data was collected from a sample of 400 supermarket shoppers in southern Chile. The questionnaire measured knowledge of nanotechnology and willingness to purchase food products involving nanotechnology, and included the SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale), SWFL (Satisfaction with Food-related Life) and FNS (Food Neophobia Scale) scales. Using cluster analysis, four consumer types were distinguished with significant differences in their scores on the SWLS, SWFL and FNS. The types differed in their knowledge of nanotechnology, willingness to purchase foods involving nanotechnology, age, socioeconomic level and lifestyle. The least food-neophobic type had the highest levels of satisfaction with life and with food-related life and also had the highest acceptance of packaging and foods produced with nanotechnology. The results suggest that the degree of food neophobia is associated with satisfaction with life and with food-related life, as well as with the acceptance of products with nanotechnological applications.

Psychometric Properties of the Satisfaction With Food-Related Life Scale: Application in Southern Chile

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFL) scale and its relation to the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in southern Chile. METHODS A survey was applied to a sample of 316 persons in the principal cities of southern Chile distributed with proportional attachment per city. RESULTS The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed an adequate level of internal consistency and a good fit (root mean square error of approximation = 0.071, goodness-of-fit index = 0.95, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.92) to the SWFL data (1-dimensional). The evaluation of a causal covariance structure analysis model composed of the SWFL as antecedent construct and the SWLS as consequent construct indicates a medium level of relation between the 2 constructs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS A medium level of relation between the SWFL and SWLS was found. In future studies, the SWFL may serve as a useful dependent variable in the analysis of objective indicators that may predict this variable.

Eating habits and subjective well-being. A typology of students in Chilean state universities.

The purpose of this study was to distinguish and characterize university student typologies according to their life satisfaction and satisfaction with their food-related life. An online survey was applied between June and August 2013 in five state universities in Chile, to 369 university students (mean age = 20.9 years, SD = 2.27). The survey included the Health-related Quality of Life Index-4 (HRQOL), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life Scale (SWFL), as well as questions about the place of residence, importance of food for well-being, frequency of meals in the place of residence and the frequency of consumption of eight food groups. A cluster analysis was used to determine student typologies. Three typologies of students were distinguished with significant differences in the average scores of the SWLS and SWFL scales, self-perception of health, days with mental health problems, number of days of health-related incapacity, place of residence, socioeconomic status, importance of food for well-being, frequency of breakfast and dinner in the place of residence, frequency of consumption of meat, milk, fruits and vegetables. It was found that most students with higher levels of life satisfaction and satisfaction with food-related life live with their parents, eat at home more frequently, report fewer health problems, have healthful eating habits and consider food very important for their well-being. Although it is necessary to promote or improve the campaigns that foster healthful eating in the entire university population, these campaigns must be specifically targeted to students who do not receive direct support from their families.

Willingness to purchase functional foods according to their benefits

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore differences in consumers’ willingness to purchase functional foods (FFs) in southern Chile in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, consumer knowledge, and subjective well-being. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was carried out among 400 people in southern Chile. The questionnaire measured willingness to buy FFs with 18 different benefits, knowledge about FFs, socio-demographic characteristics and satisfaction with life and with food-related life. Findings – Two dimensions were found for benefits sought in FFs: disease prevention and improvement of bodily functions. Cluster analysis was used to distinguish three types of consumers. The majority (59.8 per cent) showed a significant disposition to buy FFs that prevent diseases or improve bodily functions. Others (25.8 per cent) were less inclined to buy either type of FF. A minority (14.5 per cent) showed greater disposition to buy FFs which improve bodily functions. The types differ according to...

Dietary restraint and subjective well-being in university students in Chile

OBJECTIVE To characterize university students typologies according to chronic food restriction, satisfaction with life and food consumption. MATERIALS AND METHOD A questionnaire was applied on a non-probability sample of 369 male and female students from five Chilean universities. The questionnaire included: Revised Restraint Scale (RRS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFL) and the Health-related Quality of Life Index. The survey included food and drink consumption habits, weight and approximate height and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS Two factors in the RRS were detected by exploratory factor analysis: Preoccupation with Diet (PD) and Weight fluctuations (WF). A confirmatory factor analysis validated the bifactor structure of the RRS with an acceptable adjustment kindness. The cluster analysis allowed a distinction of four typologies with a significant variation in PD, WF, SWLS and SWFL scoring, number of days with mental health problems, frequency of alcoholic drinks consumption, restraint on the consumption of certain foods, drinks and spices, consumption frequency of fruit out of the main meals and types. Typologies did not differ on their body mass index. CONCLUSIONS Both, students preoccupied with diet and those who are not, experience higher levels of satisfaction with life and with food. Lower levels of global life satisfaction and satisfaction with food are related with the fluctuations in weight.

Analyzing Food-Related Life Satisfaction and other Predictors of Life Satisfaction in Central Chile

This study aimed to assess the effect of satisfaction with food-related life on life satisfaction among inhabitants of the main municipalities of central Chile. A survey was applied to a sample of 1,277 people, distributed proportionally by municipality. The questionnaire included the following scales: SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale), SWFL (Satisfaction with Food-related Life) and the Health-Related Quality of Life Index (HRQOL). Questions were asked regarding eating habits inside and outside the home, time available for meals at home, the assessment of five sources of happiness and the demographic characteristics of those surveyed. An ordered logit model was proposed, in which the dependent variable was satisfaction with life. Satisfaction with life was significantly related to the respondents socioeconomic status, self-perception of health, degree of satisfaction with food-related life, monthly food expenditure, time available for supper with the family (p < .01); gender, self-reported number of days affected by mental health problems, frequency of supper with the family, the degree of agreement with respect to family being an important source of happiness (p < .05); and family size and frequency of food consumption in fast food outlets (p < .10). Satisfaction with life in the study sample is related to aspects associated with health, family and eating, and the family interaction associated with eating may play an important role in overall satisfaction with life.

Perceived quality in fresh peaches: an approach through structural equation modeling

Uno de los topicos que mas atrae la atencion de los actores de la cadena productiva de fruta fresca, es entender los requerimientos de calidad que los consumidores de fruta fresca consideran en sus procesos de decision de compra. En esta perspectiva, esta investigacion se ha orientado hacia la identificacion de relaciones significativas entre atributos que podrian explicar como percibe la calidad un consumidor de duraznos en estado fresco. Asimismo, se ha considerado focalizar el estudio en el durazno debido basicamente a que es una especie de la cual no se tiene conocimiento en terminos de cuales son los las senales de calidad que busca el consumidor cuando desarrolla sus preferencias. En virtud de lo senalado, el objetivo del presente es desarrollar un modelo que contribuya a explicar la calidad de duraznos frescos segun la percepcion de consumidores espanoles. Para ello, se ha recurrido a un modelo teorico, el cual explica la calidad mediante un conjunto de atributos intrinsecos y extrinsecos. La fuente principal de informacion fue una encuesta de preguntas cerradas aplicada de forma presencial a una muestra no probabilistica de 192 consumidores espanoles. La metodologia asociada al objetivo expuesto fue un analisis de ecuaciones estructurales, el cual fue sometido a un conjunto de indicadores de bondad de ajuste del modelo (CMIN/DF, RMR, NFI, RFI, RMSEA, HOELTER, entre otros). De tal modo, ajustandose a los valores recomendados por la literatura, se identifico un modelo que explica la calidad en los consumidores estudiados, mediante dos conjuntos de atributos: extrinsecos y extrinsecos. Finalmente, se determinaron relaciones significativas y altas, entre calidad percibida y homogeneidad de la fruta y, entre calidad percibida y disponibilidad en supermercados y fruterias.

Acceptance of nanotechnology applications and satisfaction with food-related life in southern Chile

Given the increasing use of nanotechnology in food production and packaging, its acceptance was evaluated in Temuco, Chile, and different consumer segments were identified. Different brands of sunflower oil were used at different prices as a case study. A structured questionnaire was applied to 400 supermarket shoppers. It was determined that brand was more important than nanotechnology application in packaging and food, and more important than price. The consumers preferred an average priced oil with a manufacturer’s brand with nanoparticles to reduce cholesterol, and packaging with nanoparticles to increase the shelf life of the product and to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Three consumer segments were distinguished by the cluster analysis. The largest segment (44%) preferred the oil without nanotechnology. The second (35.2%) preferred the oil with nanotechnology in the food and the packaging, and the greatest preference was for packaging with nanoparticles extension in the shelf life of the product. The third segment (20.8%) had similar behavior, but it showed greater preference for the oil with nanoparticles that reduced cholesterol and for the packaging that prevented the growth of bacteria and viruses. The segments differed in terms of their satisfaction with food-related life and lifestyle. It was found that over 50% of the participants preferred oil with nanotechnology applications.

Preferences for sunflower oil produced conventionally, produced with nanotechnology or genetically modified in the Araucanía Region of Chile

AbstractB. Schnettler, G. Crisostomo, N. Mills, H. Miranda, M. Mora, G. Lobos and K.G. Grunert. 2013. Preferences for oil produced conventionally, produced with nanotechnology or genetically modified in the Araucania Region of Chile. Cien. Inv. Agr. 40(1):17-29. In light of the increasing use of nanotechnology in food production, consumer acceptance of sunflower oil produced with nanotechnology or from genetically modified (GM) plants and the conventionally produced raw materials available in Temuco (Araucania Region, Chile), market segments were differentiated with respect to their acceptance of nanotechnology and characterized according to their sociodemographic characteristics and food neophobia level. To achieve this aim, a survey was administered to 400 people. Using a conjoint analysis, the brand (33.6%) and production system (32.6%) were determined to be more important than the price (19.2%) and health certification (14.6%); national brands, produced conventionally with a health certification seal and sold at the lowest price, were preferred. A hierarchical cluster analysis identified three main segments. The largest (45.5%) preferred oil made with nanotechnology. The second (29.75%) preferred conventional oil and oil made with nanotechnology. The third (20.75%) preferred conventional oil and rejected oils made with nanotechnology and GM. The segments differed significantly according to marital status and according to the score on the food neophobia scale. Approximately 75% of the sample had a positive response to the oil produced with nanotechnology, and this positive response was related to the food neophobia score.Key words: sunflower oil, transgenic food, nanotechnology.

Variables que influyen en la satisfacción con la vida de personas de distinto nivel socioeconómico en el sur de Chile

This study aimed to identify the variables influencing satisfaction with life in people from different socioeconomic groups in southern Chile. To do this, a questionnaire was applied to a sample of 316 residents in the main cities of the southern side of the country, distributed