Behavioral Strategies Research Articles

Competition, Credit Risk and Banks’ Franchise Value: Evidence from Kuwait and COVID-19 Policy Insights

Purpose: This paper investigates the franchise-value paradigm theory proposed by Keeley (1990) in relation to the competition-credit risk nexus in Kuwait’s banking sector before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study explores the theories of fragility hypothesis, stability, and the non-linear argument, which are subjects of controversy to assess the competitive behavior regarding credit risk. Study design/methodology/approach: Panel data techniques were utilized (OLS, Random and Fixed effects). We divided the sample into two periods: 2010-2019 and 2020-2021 to capture the impact of the external shock. Sample and data: The sample includes five commercial banks operating in Kuwait, with data sourced from annual reports spanning 2010 to 2021. Results: The findings support the “neutral view”, indicating that intensified competition among banks erodes banks’ franchise value and induces credit risk, as posited by the “fragility hypothesis”. Furthermore, higher concentration increases credit risk and insolvency, aligning with the too-big-to-fail and competition-stability notions (Boyd & De Nicolo, 2005; Mishkin, 2006). Notably, during the COVID-19 period, banks’ capital buffers succeeded in absorbing credit risk, nonetheless failed to diversify away from interest-income activities. Originality/value: The study contributes by examining competitive behavior and pricing strategies above marginal costs. It also explores the impact by considering a combination of bank-control variables such as banks’ capital, size, profitability, solvency, and diversification, in relation to competition dynamics and the presence of COVID-19. Research limitations/implications: These findings offer perceptions for policymakers towards dealing with the competition-stability nexus and provide a policy implication on how regulators ought to behave during financial turmoil.

Differential impact of emotional and social loneliness on daily alcohol consumption in individuals with alcohol use disorder

BackgroundLoneliness is a predisposing and maintaining factor of alcohol use behavior. Several studies have linked loneliness to daily drinking and elevated alcohol use disorder (AUD) risk; however, operationalizations of both loneliness and drinking have varied greatly. MethodsThe current study adopted a multidimensional framework of loneliness (i.e., emotional and social subtypes) to examine daily prospective relations between loneliness and drinking among non-treatment seeking individuals with AUD. Participants (N= 60) reported on current loneliness and drinking twice daily for 14-days. Scores on emotional and social loneliness were disaggregated into within- and between-person predictors, and a multilevel hurdle model proxy was fitted with drinking likelihood (logistic) and quantity (zero truncated negative binomial) specified as separate outcomes. ResultsEmotional loneliness (within-person) was associated with increased drinking likelihood (OR=1.05, 95 % BCI [1.01, 1.10]) and quantity (IRR=1.05, 95 % BCI [1.02, 1.09]), while social loneliness (within-person) was associated with decreases in both drinking likelihood (OR=.94, 95 % BCI [.89,.99]) and quantity (IRR=.96, 95 % BCI [.93,.99]). Between-person loneliness scores were unrelated to both outcomes. ConclusionsThese discrepant findings by loneliness subtype may be ascribed to differences in subjective manifestations, in that emotional loneliness is a more severe form of loneliness that overlaps significantly with other negative affective states and promotes a coping response, while social loneliness may be readily alleviated by adaptive behavioral strategies for some, and social withdrawal for others. These findings offer insight into the nuances of loneliness-drinking relations and their clinical implications.

The Influence of Social Media Marketing and Influencer Marketing on Consumen Behaviour (Case Study of Gen-Z In Kota Depok, West Java)

This study examines the influence of Social Media Marketing (SMM) and Influencer Marketing on the consumer behavior of Generation Z (Gen Z) in Depok City, West Java. Utilizing a quantitative research approach, data were collected from 100 respondents through an online questionnaire. The findings from the multiple linear regression analysis indicate that both Social Media Marketing and Influencer Marketing significantly affect consumer behavior. Social Media Marketing, which is measured through variables such as content engagement, brand awareness, interactive features, and ad recall, has been shown to increase consumer engagement and influence purchasing decisions among Gen Z. Meanwhile, Influencer Marketing, which encompasses trust in influencers, influencer credibility, purchase intention, and content quality, plays a critical role in shaping the attitudes and behaviors of Gen Z consumers, leading to increased brand loyalty and purchase intentions. The study's coefficient of determination (R²) value of 78.1% suggests that these variables collectively explain the majority of the variability in consumer behavior among Gen Z in Depok City. These results align with previous research, underscoring the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies in shaping consumer behavior and offering valuable insights for businesses targeting Gen Z through social media and influencer channels.

Systematic review of adherence to technology-based falls prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults: Reimagining future interventions.

Prevention programs, and specifically exercise, can reduce falls among community-dwelling older adults, but low adherence limits the benefits of effective interventions. Technology may overcome some barriers to improve uptake and engagement in prevention programs, although less is known on adherence for providing them via this delivery mode. We aimed to synthesize evidence for adherence to technology-based falls prevention programs in community-dwelling older adults 60 years and older. We conducted a systematic review following standard guidelines to identify randomized controlled trials for remote delivered (i.e., no or limited in-person sessions) technology-based falls prevention programs for community-dwelling older adults. We searched nine sources using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and keywords (2007-present). The initial search was conducted in June 2023 and updated in December 2023. We also conducted a forward and backward citation search of included studies. Two reviewers independently conducted screening and study assessment; one author extracted data and a second author confirmed findings. We conducted a random effects meta-analysis for adherence, operationalized as participants' completion of program components, and aimed to conduct meta-regressions to examine factors related to program adherence and the association between adherence and functional mobility. We included 11 studies with 569 intervention participants (average mean age 74.5 years). Studies used a variety of technology, such as apps, exergames, or virtual synchronous classes. Risk of bias was low for eight studies. Five interventions automatically collected data for monitoring and completion of exercise sessions, two studies collected participants' online attendance, and four studies used self-reported diaries or attendance sheets. Studies included some behavior change techniques or strategies alongside the technology. There was substantial variability in the way adherence data were reported. The mean (range) percent of participants who did not complete planned sessions (i.e., dropped out or lost to follow-up) was 14% (0-32%). The pooled estimate of the proportion of participants who were adherent to a technology-based falls prevention program was 0.82 (95% CI 0.68, 0.93) for studies that reported the mean number of completed exercise sessions. Many studies needed to provide access to the internet, training, and/or resources (e.g., tablets) to support participants to take part in the intervention. We were unable to conduct the meta-regression for adherence and functional mobility due to an insufficient number of studies. There were no serious adverse events for studies reporting this information (n = 8). The use of technology may confer some benefits for program delivery and data collection. But better reporting of adherence data is needed, as well as routine integration and measurement of training and skill development to use technology, and behavior change strategies within interventions. There may be an opportunity to rethink or reimagine how technology can be used to support people's adoption and integration of physical activity into daily life routines.

Healthy eating in globalized food environments: market access and consumer behavior in the Galápagos Islands of Ecuador

Abstract Food environments are the interface between food systems and consumers. Although market access contributes to diet intake, consumer behavior determines food acquisition practices yet is often neglected in food environment research. Implementing sustainable food system transformations in climate-vulnerable, trade-dependent settings requires effective integration of both geographic and experienced-based measures of access. This study in the Galápagos Islands (i) develops measures for geographic and experience-based food environments (EFEs) and (ii) links diet outcomes to these food environment measures independently and when interacted. Cross-sectional household data including diet recalls come from 388 participants in the Healthy Family Study from San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos in 2018. Geocoded market inventory and price data were obtained in 2018 using the Nutritional Environment Measurement Survey for Stores (n = 60). Geographic food environments were created from market scores and distribution. EFEs were based on factor analyzed consumer behavior strategies. Diet quality was defined using the global dietary recommendations score. Adjusted linear regressions tested the relationships between diet and food environment measures and included sociodemographic covariates. Interactions between geographic and EFEs were tested. This study showed that higher prioritization of convenience when food shopping was associated with lower healthy food intake. However, the relationship between food environment measures and diet is strongly modified by consumer behavior. For convenience-prioritizing households, the nearest market proved most associated with healthy diet outcomes. For households with a food-driven purchasing strategy, the preferred market was most associated with healthy diet outcomes. These findings show that market inventory can be healthful or deleterious to diets, depending on how individuals navigate their food environments. Empirical measures of food access that neglect to consider consumer behavior may fail to capture realistic representations of food environment and diet relationships. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring food system changes to incorporate context-specific consumer behavior.

Nudging citizens co-production: Assessing multiple behavioral strategies

Nudging citizens co-production: Assessing multiple behavioral strategies

Novel and classical methods similarly describe variation in territory size among males in Neotropical poison frogs with contrasting reproductive and behavioral strategies

AbstractTerritoriality is a form of social dominance concerning the use of space that ensures the territory owner primary access to critical resources. The territory is defended with visual displays, advertisement calls, physical attacks, or chemical signals. The territory is frequently estimated by mapping locations where an animal is observed engaging in territorial behavior or by tracking. However, these approaches may over- or underestimate the areas defended. Thus, the use of approaches explicitly determining defended areas is critical to properly characterize the territory. Intrusion experiments can elicit a response in territory holders, allowing one to characterize their aggressive responses; however, the aggressive response depends on the species. We describe an approach to experimentally estimate the territory size using playback experiments in a species that exhibits a stereotypical phonotactic response: the nurse frog, Allobates aff. trilineatus and develop a new behavioral index that allows assessing territory size in response to playbacks for a species with non-stereotyped phonotactic response: the endangered Lehmann’s poison frog, Oophaga lehmanni. We conducted 772 playback experiments on 18 males of A. aff. trilineatus, and 222 on nine males of O. lehmanni. We analyzed the results of playback experiments with three different area estimators regularly used to estimate space use and evaluated whether these estimates are correlated. The shape and size of territories varied among individuals and estimators in both species. Although we found that the absolute size of the territory depends on the method used, estimates were strongly correlated, meaning that different estimators similarly describe variation in territory size among males. Choosing an analysis method may not be particularly important for studying the characteristics of territoriality over space and time but using a systematic and standardized experimental approach that also incorporates the particularities of the aggressive response of each species is essential to understand the evolution of space use by poison frogs and other territorial species.

Environmental and behavioral mitigation strategies for patients with atopic dermatitis

Although numerous medications have recently been approved for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD), the current treatment guidelines often lack information on non-pharmacologic approaches to disease management. In contrast, patients and caregivers frequently express strong interest in environmental and behavioral mitigation strategies. Herein, we summarize the evidence-base for these interventions with a focus on the role of specific chemicals in driving AD. We outline avoidance strategies for the various routes of exposure such as air pollution, water contamination, or inclusion in home goods, skin care products, and cleansers. Evidence for and against dietary modification and emollient use as primary prevention are discussed. To remember these interventions we propose a mnemonic, HELPSS AD: Home decor, Emollients, Laundering, Probiotics, Soaks, Social support, Air quality, and Diet. Each of these categories presents nuanced molecular differences that must be considered. For example, probiotic responses vary by the specific species while home products and pollution must be analyzed by the specific toxins. Although the interventions discussed lack the level of evidence required for inclusion into formal guidelines, awareness of these approaches may offer aid to, and build trust with, patients and caregivers.

Is the Unified Protocol for Children Effective for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Children’s Emotional Disorders? A Randomized Controlled Trial

The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C) aims to reduce internalizing symptoms in children by addressing fundamental mechanisms that underlie emotional disorders through a combination of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral strategies. This study, the largest randomized controlled trial (RCT) to date of UP-C efficacy and the first one conducted outside the U.S., assesses the efficacy of UP-C compared to an active control group. A total of 153 children (6–13 years old; 58.8% girls) with at least one emotional disorder as a primary diagnosis and their parents (88.2% mothers) were randomly assigned to either the UP-C condition (n = 77) or an active control condition (n = 76; receiving a psychoeducational intervention, the ABC of Emotions). Participants completed self-report questionnaires at pretreatment, midtreatment, posttreatment, and at the 3-month follow-up, assessing children’s internalizing symptoms and their interference with the child and family functioning. Clinicians assessed the severity of the child’s symptoms and monitored clinical improvement throughout the study. Descriptive statistics, comparative tests and Linear Mixed Models were used. Results showed greater satisfaction, lower dropout rates, and better adherence in the UP-C condition, with a reduced need for additional interventions posttreatment compared to the control group. The UP-C demonstrated significantly greater efficacy in reducing internalizing symptoms, with a large effect size, including anxiety and depression, as well as in reducing the interference and severity of child symptoms and in improving clinical gains compared to the control group. These findings provide strong support for UP-C as a feasible, acceptable, and effective treatment for childhood emotional disorders, reinforcing its status as an evidence-based treatment.

Flexibility predicts chronic anxiety and depression during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic-A longitudinal investigation of mental health trajectories.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant stressor, potentially putting the well-being of the general population at risk. However, a significant proportion of the population exhibits resilience, raising questions regarding psychological constructs that could contribute to resilient coping. Studies indicate that flexibility, defined as the ability to adapt to changing contextual demands by employing various emotional, cognitive, and behavioral strategies, may significantly contribute to coping with long-term stressors such as COVID-19. Cognitive and coping flexibility domains and longitudinal trajectories of anxiety and depression were assessed at three-time points across 13 months in 571 Israelis. Analyses revealed four different trajectories for anxiety: resilient (66%), chronic (22%), emerging (7%), and improving (6%), and two trajectories for depression: resilient (87%) and chronic (13%). Individuals in the chronic trajectory group (for both anxiety and depression) exhibited lower cognitive flexibility and coping flexibility levels than individuals in the resilient trajectory group. Across time, anxiety and depression were linked to clinically significant posttraumatic stress disorder-like symptoms. Low cognitive and coping flexibility are linked to the probability of experiencing chronic mental health problems, making them a potential target for prevention and treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Role of Personality Features and Cognitive Avoidance Strategies in Cigarette Smoking Behavior

The Role of Personality Features and Cognitive Avoidance Strategies in Cigarette Smoking Behavior

Next-Level Healthcare Leadership Begins with Self-Leadership

There are so many ways that healthcare administrators, leaders, and managers can work on ramping up their leadership to the next level that it can be hard to know where to start. This article argues that the best way to begin your own development program is with self-leadership. It defines self-leadership and provides a brief history of the concept and a description of its theoretical underpinnings. It describes 10 practical benefits of self-leadership and the challenging obstacles leaders are most likely to encounter as they work on developing their self-leadership. This article then offers 15 practical cognitive and behavioral self-leadership strategies and explores the best ways to develop a next-level mindset. Finally, this article explains the 8 C’s of Self-Leadership model and suggests how leaders can assess their self-leadership so they become the best versions of themselves.

A qualitative study examining medical students′ expectations of psychiatric inpatient and intensive care settings

Background There is limited literature to date regarding medical students’ expectations of the psychiatric inpatient environment. This study aims to explore what medical students expect from psychiatric wards and psychiatric intensive care units prior to their placement. Psychiatric intensive care, arguably the most intense experience students will have in psychiatry, was used to highlight the full extent of student preconceptions. Methodology: Students were invited to complete a semi-structured questionnaire over a six-month period, from July to December 2021. Questions explored emotions prior to placement, expectations of the ward atmosphere, layout, patient behaviour and care strategies. 37 responses were received. Analysis followed the well-recognised six stages of thematic analysis. Results: Five themes emerged from the data: (1) Mixed feelings about placement; (2) Varied views about patient behaviour and illness; (3) Restrictive and controlled practice; (4) Similarities to acute general hospital care; (5) Care with empathy and compassion. Some of the expectations of students were markedly different to the reality of psychiatric inpatient and intensive care settings, with ideas of patients being physically restrained, unconscious and attached to ventilators. Conclusion: This study offers a unique insight into what medical students expect from psychiatry inpatient and intensive care settings, an issue that all clinicians who have student contact should be aware of. Results can better inform student preparation and placement supervision, leading to more meaningful learning and improved wellbeing.

The Effects of Seismic Behavior on High Ground Stress Soft Rock Tunnel: A Review

The purpose of this review is to critically assess seismic activity's effects on soft rock tunnels under high ground stress scenarios. The paper seeks to identify key novelties and research gaps in the existing literature, offering new insights into analytical techniques, excavation methods, support systems, and monitoring technologies. A comprehensive review of recent studies was conducted, focusing on seismic behavior, analytical techniques, and mitigation strategies for soft rock tunnels. Case studies were selected based on their relevance to high ground stress conditions and their contribution to understanding seismic resilience. Significant findings include the identification of specific geological conditions that exacerbate seismic risks and the comparative effectiveness of various analytical techniques and support systems. Novel insights into the interaction of structural reinforcements and monitoring systems are also discussed. The review highlights new analytical techniques and advanced monitoring systems that improve predictive accuracy and early detection of seismic risks. It also proposes a refined approach to integrating mitigation strategies for enhanced tunnel resilience. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-09-020 Full Text: PDF

The Positive Behavioral Management Strategies Program (PBMS) for Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers: Impacts and Outcomes

The Positive Behavioral Management Strategies Program (PBMS) for Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers: Impacts and Outcomes

Financial Literacy and Financial Anxiety in Malaysia: Determinants and Behavioural Influences

In reaction to economic uncertainty, there has been a rise in financial anxiety, which is defined as the psychological distress brought on by financial circumstances. The current study looks into how financial literacy—which encompasses financial behaviour, impulsivity, vulnerability, and knowledge—affects financial anxiety among Malaysians. The data gathered from 389 individuals served as the basis for the analysis. The findings show that the most important predictor of financial anxiety is financial vulnerability, most especially the inability to pay monthly obligations. A major contributing factor to reckless spending is the heightened anxiety that accompanies rash financial decisions. On the other hand, forming sound financial practices, such making on-time bill payments and keeping a careful eye on funds, significantly reduces financial stress. The study shows that misunderstandings of financial concepts exacerbate anxiety, underscoring the necessity for proper financial education. Demographic factors including age, gender, and marital status have an impact on financial anxiety. In particular, stress tends to be somewhat higher in younger people, women, and unmarried people. These findings emphasise the need for tailored financial literacy programs that address behaviour and knowledge gaps, promote financial self-control, and provide specific help to excluded groups. The study underscores the critical role that financial literacy plays in mitigating financial anxiety and improving overall financial well-being. It contends that in order to effectively address these challenges, future interventions should prioritise the use of behavioural change strategies and practical financial education.

Abstract 25: The Blood Pressure Effects of a Just-in-time-adaptive Intervention for Physical Activity and Diet in Patients with Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Emerging data suggest mobile health interventions are a promising approach for managing hypertension, but large-scale studies are lacking. The myBPmyLife mobile application is a just-in-time adaptive intervention incorporating behavioral change strategies such as goal setting, prompts, visualizations, and feedback to encourage increased physical activity and lower-sodium food choices. Methods: The study was a prospective, randomized-controlled trial that enrolled patients with hypertension from the University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor, MI, and the Hamilton Community Health Network, a series of federally qualified health center clinics, in Flint, MI. Participants were randomized 1:1 to either the intervention group receiving the myBPmyLife mobile application or the control group and followed for 6 months. Participants in both groups received a smartwatch and a Bluetooth blood pressure (BP) monitor and were prompted to perform BP measurements once weekly. The primary outcome was systolic BP (SBP) change from baseline to 6 months. Secondary outcomes included change from baseline to 6 months in mean daily step count assessed by smartwatch and mean daily sodium intake assessed by the Block sodium screener. Results: The study enrolled 602 participants between December 2021 and July 2023. Mean age was 59.6 years (SD 14), with 74.4% self-identifying as White and 51.7% as men. Baseline estimated sodium intake was 3089 mg (SD 1078) per day, mean step count was 7618 (SD 3778) steps per day, SBP was 132 (SD 15) mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 82 (SD 10) mmHg. Change in SBP from baseline to 6 months was -5.2 (SD 15) mmHg in the intervention and -5.7 (SD 15) mmHg in the control group (Table; p=0.76). Change in DBP from baseline to 6 months was -3.0 (SD 9) mmHg in the intervention and -3.6 (SD 10) mmHg in the control group (p=0.52). From baseline to 6 months, estimated daily sodium intake decreased by 1145 mg (SD 1023) in the intervention and 860 mg (SD 1001) in the control group (p=0.002), while mean daily step count increased by 170 steps (SD 2690) in the intervention and decreased by 319 steps (SD 2612) in the control group (p=0.040). Conclusion: A mobile health intervention, myBPmyLife, promoting lifestyle modification in hypertensive patients did not change SBP over 6 months compared to the control group despite significantly improving daily sodium intake and step count over that period.

Feasibility of a nurse-initiated brief cognitive behavioral strategy intervention program for symptom clusters experienced by patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

BackgroundA nurse-initiated brief cognitive behavioral Strategy (CBS) intervention program has shown alleviation effects of single symptoms. However, the feasibility of the brief CBS for symptoms included in the Pain and Fatigue symptom clusters in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been evaluated. ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of application of the nurse-initiated brief CBS intervention program focusing on pain and fatigue symptoms among the Pain and Fatigue/anorexia symptom clusters experienced by patients with advanced NSCLC. MethodsIn this one-group pretest-posttest design, participants were 15 outpatients with NSCLC undergoing medical treatment (UMIN 000026996). After expressing consent to the study participation, the participants completed a baseline questionnaire and were given a booklet explaining brief cognitive behavioral therapies (relaxation, problem-solving strategies for symptom relief), exercise therapy, and tools. We provided follow-up calls five times and evaluated the retention and changes in symptom severities till the 10th week after the intervention. ResultsOf 15 participants, 10 (66.7%) completed the program. For pain relief strategies, 87% chose deep breathing for relaxation, and 80% fatigue relief with exercises. The median symptom severities (at the baseline and Wk10) showed downward tendencies: pain (2.00, 1.00), sadness (1.00, 0.00), and anxiety (1.00, 0.50). Implications for practiceWe need a randomized controlled trial to further test the effectiveness of the intervention in alleviating symptom and improving QOL of this population. ConclusionsThe nurse-initiated brief CBS intervention program is clinically practical in this population. Nurses may provide useful support for patient symptom management by brief CBS.

Критерии потребительского выбора пищевой продукции в контексте анализа рисков для здоровья

Provision of food quality and safety is among national priorities. The strategy aimed at improving quality of food products in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 highlights a relevant issue as regards Russians consuming low-quality food products. The aim of this study is to identify criteria that determine consumer choice of food products and its influence on health risks. The empirical data used in the study are represented by the results of national social surveys (Russian Public Opinion Research Center, NAFI Research Center, Public Opinion Fund, 2020–2023) and materials obtained by focus interviews with Russian megacity residents (n = 26, spring 2024). Price is the top criterion that determines consumer choices in Russia. We identified three behavioral strategies based on subjective perception of food quality and price: 1) quality is priority regardless of a price (the strategy is typical for middle-aged consumers with higher incomes); 2) a balance between quality and price (including orientation at discounts and special promotion campaigns at points-of-sail); 3) refusal from subjectively more qualitative food products in favor of less qualitative but cheaper ones (the strategy is typical for consumers from senior age groups). Consumer orientation at product price leads to changes in diets in case population incomes are dropping or market prices are growing; in particular, it means a decline in fruit, meat and fish consumption. Significance a consumer places on food taste as a selection criterion results in choosing food products with low ‘objective’ consumer value but a higher ‘subjective’ one, for example, chips, sweetened carbonated beverages, and products with high saturated fat contents. Risky consumer choice is also determined by low interest in healthy diets and absence of any faith in possibility to get objective information. A conclusion is made that it is necessary to make food products, which are subjectively perceived by consumers as more qualitative, more affordable in money terms; to intensify educational activities and to create suitable conditions for making consumers refuse from buying products with low nutrition value.

Criteria that determine consumer choice of food products within health risk analysis

Provision of food quality and safety is among national priorities. The strategy aimed at improving quality of food products in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 highlights a relevant issue as regards Russians consuming low-quality food products. The aim of this study is to identify criteria that determine consumer choice of food products and its influence on health risks. The empirical data used in the study are represented by the results of national social surveys (Russian Public Opinion Research Center, NAFI Research Center, Public Opinion Fund, 2020–2023) and materials obtained by focus interviews with Russian megacity residents (n = 26, spring 2024). Price is the top criterion that determines consumer choices in Russia. We identified three behavioral strategies based on subjective perception of food quality and price: 1) quality is priority regardless of a price (the strategy is typical for middle-aged consumers with higher incomes); 2) a balance between quality and price (including orientation at discounts and special promotion campaigns at points-of-sail); 3) refusal from subjectively more qualitative food products in favor of less qualitative but cheaper ones (the strategy is typical for consumers from senior age groups). Consumer orientation at product price leads to changes in diets in case population incomes are dropping or market prices are growing; in particular, it means a decline in fruit, meat and fish consumption. Significance a consumer places on food taste as a selection criterion results in choosing food products with low ‘objective’ consumer value but a higher ‘subjective’ one, for example, chips, sweetened carbonated beverages, and products with high saturated fat contents. Risky consumer choice is also determined by low interest in healthy diets and absence of any faith in possibility to get objective information. A conclusion is made that it is necessary to make food products, which are subjectively perceived by consumers as more qualitative, more affordable in money terms; to intensify educational activities and to create suitable conditions for making consumers refuse from buying products with low nutrition value.