General Health Interest Research Articles

Impact of food swap recommendations on dietary choices in an online supermarket: A randomized controlled trial

One novel strategy to shift food choices in digital shopping environments is to automatically recommend healthier alternatives when an unhealthy choice is made. However, this raises the question which alternative products to recommend. This study assesses 1) whether healthier food swap recommendations are effective, even though the unhealthy choice was made in the presence of visible FOP nutrition labels, and 2) how the similarity of the alternatives influences the acceptance of food swap recommendations. Based on a pre-test, similarity of the recommendation was operationalized in terms of animal-based versus plant-based options. A randomized controlled trial (healthy food swap recommendation conditions: none, similar animal-based, dissimilar plant-based, or mixed animal- and plant-based) with 428 Dutch participants was conducted in a simulated online supermarket. Additional healthier food swap recommendations improved the nutritional quality of the final basket compared to only providing Nutri-Score nutrition labels (−1.7 mean FSA score, p < .001, medium Cohen’s d = −0.48). Compared to the dissimilar condition, acceptance of an alternative was more likely in the mixed (odds-ratio = 2.78, p = .015) and in the similar condition (odds-ratio = 2.24, p = .048), but the nutritional quality of the final basket did not differ between treatment conditions. Individuals in treatment conditions who did not receive any recommendation (i.e. only made healthy choices) had higher Nutri-Score familiarity and general health interest than individuals who received recommendations. This suggests that for individuals with higher knowledge and motivation FOP nutrition labels were sufficient, whereas for individuals with lower knowledge and motivation additional food swap recommendations can improve dietary choices. Food swap recommendations may act as meaningful reminders by disrupting the automatic choice process and triggering individuals to rethink their (unhealthy) choice.

Consumer segments less or more willing to adopt foods with microalgae proteins

The use of microalgae proteins as an alternative protein source in the European food market is becoming increasingly important. Despite their potential, these foods are still relatively unknown to European consumers. Therefore, it is crucial for their successful market introduction to explore consumer awareness, perception and willingness to try them. The objectives of this study were to identify factors shaping willingness to try and consumer segments likely to adopt foods with microalgae proteins. Data were collected via a quantitative online survey (N = 3027) in five European countries: the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Spain, and Italy. First, binary logistic regression showed that a flexitarian diet, general health interest, food neophobia, and environmental concern significantly shaped willingness to try foods with microalgae proteins. Second, factor analysis identified two dimensions of consumers’ perceptions about foods with microalgae proteins: credence attributes related and experience attributes related. Third, these perception constructs were used alongside willingness to try in a two-stage segmentation analysis to identify consumer segments willing to adopt foods with microalgae proteins. The analysis yielded four segments, “Enthusiast”, “Cautiously curious”, “Undecided”, and “Uninterested”. Finally, the segments were profiled in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes and perceptions by means of a multinomial logistic regression (n = 2957). Consumers with a higher general health interest, stronger environmental concern, and greater interest in information about foods with microalgae proteins were more likely to be part of segments with a higher willingness to try and more favorable perceptions. Consumers with higher levels of food (technology) neophobia, were more likely to be part of segments with a lower willingness to try and less favorable perceptions. This study has shown that segmentation proves useful to identify and profile consumers who would be less or more likely to adopt foods with microalgae proteins and enables more effective tailoring of marketing and further research efforts.

Cooking and food skills confidence of team sport athletes in Ireland.

Nutritional support often focuses on cooking and food skills such as food selection, recipe planning and meal preparation. Individuals with greater cooking and food skills confidence have previously displayed higher diet quality scores and lower intakes of overall calories, saturated fat and sugar. Despite this, the cooking and food skills of team sport athletes have yet to be investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between cooking and food skills confidence and athletes' demographic characteristics. A validated measure for the assessment of cooking and food skills confidence was distributed via an online survey. Participants were required to rate their confidence on a Likert scale (1 "very poor" - 7 "very good") for 14 items related to cooking skills and 19 items for food skills. Food engagement, general health interest and self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption as a measure of diet quality were also measured. The survey was completed by 266 team sport athletes (male: 150, female: 116, age: 24.8 ± 6.1 years). Group differences were explored using t-tests and ANOVA and associations were evaluated using Spearman's correlation and hierarchical multiple regressions. Athletes' total cooking and food skills confidence was 62.7 ± 17.4 (64.0 ± 17.8%) and 83.8 ± 20.1 (63.0 ± 15.1%), respectively. Females reported greater confidence in both cooking (+20.3%, p < 0.01) and food skills (+9.2%, p < 0.01). Hierarchical multiple regressions explained 48.8% of the variance in cooking skills confidence and 44% of the variance in food skills confidence with gender, previous culinary training, cooking learning stage, general health interest and food engagement all remaining significant in the cooking skills confidence model and cooking frequency, previous culinary training, general health interest and food engagement remaining significant in the food skills confidence model. Male team sport athletes may benefit the most from educational interventions designed to increase cooking and food skills confidence.

Development and validation of the Psychological Food Involvement Scale (PFIS)

Food Involvement reflects the bond between consumer and food, and serves as a means of expression, identity and social recognition. Yet no existing scales are able to assess the complex psychological nature of Food Involvement. To fill this gap, this study developed and validated a Psychological Food Involvement Scale (PFIS). Data were collected by an online self-report questionnaire, involving 476 Italians aged 20–72 years (M = 48.13, SD = 13.18). The structure and psychometric properties of PFIS were examined through an exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis, and construct validity was assessed by correlating it with Food Involvement Scale, Food Variety Seeking Scale and the General Health Interest Scale. As a behavioural indicator of validity, food and drink consumption was assessed using the Dietary Habits and Nutrition Beliefs Questionnaire. Factor analysis indicated that the PFIS comprised 19 items grouped in four stable dimensions: Emotional Balance; Self-Realization; Social Affirmation; Social Bonding. People more psychologically involved in food were more interested in healthy eating and more likely to vary their diet. The PFIS discriminated between dietary patterns. Higher PFIS scores were associated with frequent consumption of meat/fish and wholegrains/legumes. Frequent intake of meat/fish and snacks was associated with Social Bonding and meat/fish with Emotional Balance. The PFIS also explained consumption of vegetable drinks and lactose-free milk indicating the symbolic value ascribed to them related to self-expression, acceptance by others, and emotions. This implies potential for the PFIS for use in research to understand food choice and promote healthy eating.

"Unhealthy = Tasty": How Does It Affect Consumers' (Un)Healthy Food Expectations?

Consumers having a strong unhealthy = tasty (UT) belief are less likely to choose healthy food even though they recognize its health benefits, because they assume healthy food to be unpalatable. The aim of this study was to profile consumers according to their UT belief and specify the strength of the belief among a demographically representative consumer group. The other aim was to investigate the effect of UT belief on expectations of two food products representing either an unhealthy or a healthy image. A total of 1537 consumers participated in the online survey. The scale-based (1–7) mean for UT belief was 3.27 and related positively to male gender and food pleasure orientation and negatively to general health interest. The results indicate that a strong UT belief correlates with positive expectations of unhealthy food and with negative expectations of healthy food. UT belief seemed to increase expected food-associated guilt, but other strong food-related attitudes (health interest with unhealthy food and pleasure orientation with healthy food) reduced this effect. In practice, understanding the relationship between UT belief and personal factors and attitudes, and the importance of this belief to food expectations can assist in finding the tools to encourage consumers towards healthier food choices.

Determinants of diet quality among mothers of young children in an urban slum area in Jakarta: Mother’s age, vegetables availability, and eating out frequency

Introduction: Poor diet quality is a major issue, and health concerns may be related to diet. Mothers with young children usually have their meals at home; thus, home food environment plays a role in determining dietary behaviours. This study examined the association between health concerns and diet quality among mothers; additionally, the effect of home food environment on this relationship was assessed. Methods: This cross-sectional study comprising 229 mothers (aged 19–49 years) with young children was conducted in an urban slum area in North Jakarta. Data were collected via interviews using a structured questionnaire. The General Health Interest Scale and Consumer Behaviour Questionnaire were used to assess health concern and home food environment, respectively. The 24-hour dietary recall method was used to calculate the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I) score. Spearman’s correlation, multiple linear regression, and path analysis were used to analyse the data. Results: Majority of the mothers had poor diet quality (mean DQI-I score, 41.44/100). No significant correlation between health concern and diet quality was observed. After adjusting for age, the relationship between health concern and diet quality was not mediated by vegetables availability or eating out frequency (indirect effect=0.012; p=0.096). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed age as a significant predictor of diet quality (B=0.196; p=0.024). Conclusion: Diet quality among mothers of young children differed with age and was related to both health concerns and home food environment. Thus, the development of strategies to promote healthy eating based on different age groups is warranted.

I Believe It Is Healthy-Impact of Extrinsic Product Attributes in Demonstrating Healthiness of Functional Food Products.

Due to the high proportion of impulse purchases and the short time devoted to purchase decisions, packaging and other extrinsic attributes are becoming increasingly important in demonstrating the health benefits of a functional food item to consumers as plausibly as possible. Our research aims at identifying the role of extrinsic features (claims related to ingredients and health claims, organic or domestic origin, as well as the shape and color of packaging), gathered in the course of in-depth literature analysis, in the case of a functional smoothie. Our online consumer questionnaire was completed by 633 respondents, and the answers were assessed by choice based conjoint analysis. Our results show that each examined attribute plays a role in the assessment of health effects. The color blue has the biggest impact on making the consumer believe in the health benefits of the product. This is followed by the indication of organic origin, then the statement emphasizing the natural quality of the ingredients. The assessment of the specific extrinsic attributes is affected by consumers’ general health interest level, their involvement with food items, and their various demographic features.

Dysphagia-Related Health Information Improved Consumer Acceptability of Thickened Beverages

Most people tend to think that healthy foods do not taste good. This view could have a negative impact on the taste of the food that people eat for health. However, if health-related information is provided to avoid negative aspects, acceptability may improve. Thus, this study investigated changes in consumers’ sensory perception of thickened beverages before and after the provision of dysphagia-related health information. Sixty young (19–39 years old) and middle-aged (40–64 years old) consumers participated in two experiment sessions conducted one week apart. The first session proceeded without any information and the second provided information about dysphagia and the need for dietary modification before evaluation. Three beverages (orange juice, red bean water, and sports drink) were used in nectar-like (51–350 cP) and honey-like (351–1750 cP) forms; original beverage samples (0%) were used as the control. Consumers were asked about acceptability, liking the flavor, intensity, and general health interest (GHI). An analysis of variance was performed to show the change in flavor rating and acceptability between the two sessions. Although there were age-related differences in response to the samples, thickened beverages were rated as more acceptable, in terms of their characteristics (swallowing, viscosity, and mouthfeel) after the information was provided. There were no significant differences for the 0% samples. The mean GHI values were 3.97 ± 0.85 and 4.81 ± 0.68 for the young and middle-aged groups, respectively. High and low GHI groups were analyzed. The high GHI group showed significant differences in acceptability in the informed evaluation, whereas the low GHI group was not influenced by the information.

Assessing consumers' attitudes, expectations and intentions towards health and sustainability regarding seafood consumption in Italy

The EU and its Member States have articulated a sustainability vision ‘to live well within the limits of our planet’ by 2050. In this context, consumers play a key role, being able to drive seafood production sustainability and responsibility according to their behaviour, also in relation to their attitudes towards health, nutrition and well-being. On the basis of these premises, this research explores Italian consumers' attitudes towards health and sustainability in relation to seafood, in order to segment different target of consumers. The framework used in this study is mainly focused on a quantitative exploratory data collection based on an online survey. Three groups of consumers were identified based on general health interest, perceived benefits of eating seafoods and attitude towards seafoods: Health seekers who eat seafood for duty; Health seekers and seafood lovers; Low commitment to health and indifferent to seafood. Differences among groups related to socio-demographic characteristics, sustainability attitudes, intentions and interest in information about seafood products were also investigated. In particular, the first two groups are more familiar with sustainable seafood products and more interested in information on these products than the third, both in terms of product origin and seasonality. Consumers belonging to second group show a higher probability to buy seafood products considering this characteristic than the other two groups. Based on the results obtained, a strategic plan could be developed to achieve relevant goals in education, communication and sustainability labelling related with seafood products. Following a preliminary scouting carried out with all the seafood stakeholders, a specific territory to test this approach has been already identified in Torre del Cerrano (Italy). These results have a strong implication for policy makers and educational institutions as they identify differences in attitudes and perceptions among consumers that are crucial in order to design the right communication strategy strategies as well as messages content.

Take-out food frequency was associated with energy intake among mothers of young children in urban slum area in North Jakarta

Introduction: Inadequate energy intake was prevalent among women of reproductive age, which may contribute to poor diet. Having great concern towards health and nutrition may play a role in shaping eating habit and food-related behavior to achieve a healthy diet. This study aims to examine the association between health concern and energy intake, while considering other factors such as cooking frequency and having food away from home.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in an urban slum area in Jakarta, involving 233 mothers of young children through consecutive sampling. Data was collected through interview using structured questionnaire, including 2x24-hour dietary recall. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Version 20.Results: Energy intake of most subjects did not meet the recommendation. There was no significant correlation between health concern measured by General Health Interest Scale and energy intake. The frequency of having take-out food was a significant predictor of the energy intake. Additionally, a significant negative correlation between health concern and having take-out food was found.Conclusion: Having take-out food was associated with energy intake. Provision of health and nutrition information in the food stores might help to increase health concern to shape a healthier diet. Thus, a collaborative effort targeting both food sellers and customers is essential.

Characterizing the U.S. Melon Market

The domestic market for melons, Cucumis melo L., has not been well characterized. The 2011 cantaloupe-related foodborne illness outbreak reduced melon production by 32%, and per capita consumption of cantaloupe and honeydew melons has not recovered. Our objective was to profile and characterize consumer segments of individuals who purchased melons in the 3 months before the survey. Responses from 1718 participants were analyzed by consumption volume and subjected to cluster analysis based on importance of melon attributes. Heavy and moderate consumers preferred local melons over imported. The top four melon attributes were flavor, freshness, ripeness, and sweetness. As consumption increased, consumers placed more importance for their diets. The heaviest consumption group accounted for 22% of the market, and consumed nearly three times the melon servings per month compared with the moderate consumer, and nearly 10 times the servings of the light consumption group. Cluster analysis produced three distinct clusters. Cluster 1 was the most promelon in attitudes and consumption, as well as general health interest, craving sweet food, food pleasure, and variety seeking in foods. The largest segment was cluster 3 and was the ideal group for future targeting of marketing and advertising campaigns for increasing the melon market share with their intermediate consumption and promelon attitudes. Last, members of cluster 2 consumed the lowest amount of melons, spent the least on melons, and traveled the fewest number of miles to purchase them, relative to the other two segments.

Food and health related characteristics of active home-living elderly in Norway

AbstractBackgroundThe large increase in the elderly population in the Western world is challenging traditional social and welfare structures. Health issues following a natural aging process increase the load on health and welfare services, making it imperative to reduce negative effects of aging and enabling elderly to stay active and live home longer. The aim of this study was to investigate food-related characteristics of active home-living elderly that can provide advice for strategic health promoting measures for this group.Material and methodsA quantitative web-based survey measuring food and health related behaviour, was administered to a sample of elderly, 67 years and older, in Norway. 1005 elderly participated in the study, 50/50 male/female, age distribution 67–74 years (70%), 75–79 years (19%), and 80 + (11%). In addition, two focus groups and 12 in-depth interviews were conducted.ResultsWomen showed higher general health interest than men and enjoyed food more (p &lt; 0,001). Almost everyone consumed at least three regular meals, following fixed routines. They reported dietary practices and knowledge that closely fit the dietary advice from the Health Authorities. 25% reported avoiding certain foods, and 65% took daily dietary supplements. Only 4% reported no physical activity at all. These respondents had higher BMI and age distribution than the rest of the sample. In general, reported health status of the sample was good, and they scored high (7,8) on a scale from 1–10 for how satisfied they were with life. With increasing age, the respondents expressed needs for more dietary advice and special foods as well as a decrease in appetite and fruit and vegetable consumption. The seniors indicated that eating with others was important for food enjoyment and appetite. The qualitative studies confirmed this, but that the advantage of social meals did not include eating with strangers.DiscussionIn order to provide knowledge that can promote and uphold a better life in the future for elderly consumers, active, home-living elderly in generally good health were recruited for this study. Characteristics of this group involved healthy daily meal routines, an active lifestyle and a social life. These activities improve appetite and feelings of well-being. Strategies enabling elderly to adapt and uphold these activities are necessary to avoid severe decline in food intake and activity as the aging process progresses.

The Response of More Health Focused and Less Health Focused People to a Physical Activity Calorie Equivalent Label on Discretionary Snack Foods

A Physical Activity Calorie Equivalent (PACE) label shows the minutes of physical activity required to burn off the caloric content of a particular food. This study investigated the influence of PACE labelling on liking and consumption of discretionary snack foods in a group of more health focused and less health focused consumers. Participants (n = 97) tasted and rated (i.e., liking, prospective consumption) a range of snack foods with or without a PACE label. Total sampling consumption was also measured. Participants completed a shortened version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the General Health Interest Scale questionnaire. Paired samples t-test, independent samples t-tests, a General Linear Model and Chi-Square tests were used to check for statistical significance. For more health focused participants (n = 57), the PACE label decreased only liking (p = 0.02). The PACE label was not effective in reducing liking (p = 0.49), prospective consumption (defined as the amount of the sample participants thought that they could consume) (p = 0.10) or consumption (p = 0.41) of energy-dense discretionary snack foods for less health focused individuals (n = 40). The level of participants’ physical activity did not facilitate the influence of PACE labelling on liking, consumption or prospective consumption. The PACE label was found to not be effective among less health focused individuals or the overall sample population. Therefore, the PACE label may not be an effective labelling strategy to reduce the liking or consumption of discretionary snack foods.

Measuring consumers attitudes towards health and taste and their association with food-related life-styles and preferences

The purpose of the current study, was to apply and validate the factor structure of the Health and Taste Attitude Scales in an Italian adult sample of 1224 subjects, recruited on a national basis in order to characterise consumers’ food-related attitudes with weak and strong connotations of health and taste. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were used to evaluate the factor structure of the three sub-scales of Health (General health interest, Light product interest, Natural product interest) and three sub-scales of Taste (Craving for sweet foods, Using foods as a reward, Pleasure). Results showed that the internal structure was similar to the theoretical proposal, with two exceptions for the Taste scale. The Pleasure sub-scale presented strong problematic loadings and consequently was removed from the model. The Craving for sweet foods sub-scale was split into two new underlying constructs describing attitudes towards craving for sweet food based on their own experience and attitudes towards other-people’s craving.The three Health sub-scales were used as a basis for the derivation of consumers clusters. Three groups of subjects with different interest in food-related health (Low, Medium, and High Interest) were identified. This segmentation confirmed an association between positive attitudes towards health and liking and familiarity with selected food groups. People more convenience-oriented and less interested in product information and food quality had higher probability to have a lower interest in food-related health. Subjects with higher positive attitudes towards using foods as a reward had a higher probability to belong to the cluster with lower interest in food-related health.

Does attention to health labels predict a healthy food choice? An eye-tracking study

Visual attention to health labels can indicate a subsequent healthy food choice. This study looked into the relative effects of Choices logos and traffic light labels on consumers’ visual attention and food choice. A field experiment using mobile eye-tracking was conducted in a Dutch university canteen. Participants (N = 48) walked to the shopping area wearing an eye-tracking device and chose one pack of yoghurt out of 12 from the refrigerated shelf. The packages varied in health label format (traffic light label, the Choices or no logo), fat content (low-fat, semi-fat and full fat), and brand. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two conditions: with or without time constraint. The results revealed that participants fixated longer and more often on the traffic light labels compared to the Choices logos. Participants in the time constraint condition demonstrated less visual attention to health labels compared to participants without time constraint. General Health Interest (GHI) moderated the effect of time constraints. The condition without time constraints increased attention to health labels for participants with high GHI, but not for participants with low GHI. However, visual attention to health labels was a poor predictor of the subsequent healthy choice. The results suggest that attention to health labels might indicate the interest towards an unfamiliar food label, but it does not necessarily indicate a healthier food choice.

Consumer acceptance of a functional processed meat product made with different meat sources

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the consumer acceptance of a functional meat processed product made with different meat sources, and to distinguish the existence of different market segments.Design/methodology/approachNon-probability sampling was used to recruit a sample of 411 consumers in Southern Chile, over the age of 18 and responsible for the purchase of meat products for their household.FindingsUsing a fractional factorial design for conjoint analysis, it was found in the total sample that the meat source of the meat processed product was more important than packaging, region of origin, price and the functional ingredient claim, with preference for lamb and pork meat processed products with omega-3. Two main segments were identified using a cluster analysis; these segments differed according to family size, presence and age of children, ethnic origin, general health interest, quality of diet and level of satisfaction with food-related life. The largest segment (56.0 percent) shows a high preference toward lamb meat processed product with dietary fiber and omega-3. The second (33.6 percent) preferred turkey meat processed product with antioxidants.Practical implicationsA differentiated marketing strategy with different meat sources and functional ingredients may give access to a large market share. People more willing to accept different functional ingredients in processed meat products may enjoy a better quality of life. The level of satisfaction with food-related life and quality of diet can be useful in explaining preferences for functional meat processed products.Originality/valueThis is the first study to evaluate consumer acceptance of a functional meat processed product made with three different meats and three different functional ingredient claims, which analyzed the relationship between acceptance, the consumer’s quality of diet and their level of satisfaction with food-related life.

European consumer healthiness evaluation of ‘Free-from’ labelled food products

This study aimed to find out how “free-from labelling” shapes consumers’ perception of food products and whether the absence of an ingredient is considered an indicator of improved nutritional value of the product. An online survey was conducted in four European countries: the United Kingdom, Sweden, Poland, and France (overall N = 1950). Four “free-from labels” (lactose-free, gluten-free, GMO-free, and palm oil-free) were tested using different product categories that these labels typically appear on. Healthiness perception was evaluated by comparing products with the free-from labels to identical products without the labels. Potential predictors for healthiness evaluation and intention to pay a price premium were assessed, including nutrition knowledge, information-seeking on food packages, preference for food naturalness, general health interest, trust in actors in the food domain, and affect regarding the absent ingredients. Products with a free-from label were considered healthier than products without such a label, with the strongest effects occurring for labels indicating that products were free of GMOs and free of palm oil. Some differences were observed among countries in the evaluation of the product-label combinations. Information-seeking, nutrition knowledge, and affect were significant predictors of healthiness evaluation. Furthermore, healthiness evaluation, information-seeking, nutrition knowledge, and preference for naturalness predicted intention to pay a price premium for products labelled free-from. When shaping consumers’ food shopping behaviour using certain food labels, it is important to know how consumers interpret those labels. A false interpretation of labels might lead to unintended changes in consumer behaviour.

Affective responses to sweet products and sweet solution in British and Finnish adults

Responses to sweetness are reported in two populations, one segmented by gender and age, and the other one by gender only. The strength of the association between liking for specific sweet foods and liking for an aqueous sucrose solution (20%w/v) is also tested, and health attitudes examined. British adults (n=1855, age 17–82, mean 55years, 90% women) and Finnish young adults (n=1292, age 20–25, mean 22years, 54% women) rated their liking of ten sweet foods and beverages based on product names, and completed questionnaires on Craving for Sweet Foods (CSF) and General Health Interest (GHI). One-half of Brits and a third of Finns rated liking and intensity of sucrose solution. In factor analysis, identical categories of liking for sweet products were formed in each population, one consisting of five processed sweets (“Goodies”), and the other of naturally sweet fruits and berries (“Fruits”). Sugared and sugar-free soft drinks and fruit juice loaded on the third factor. After age 50, British men scored higher than British women in CSF and liking for several sweet products; Finnish women scored higher than Finnish men in CSF and liking for most sweet products. GHI was positively associated with liking for Fruits and negatively with liking for sugared soft drinks. Sucrose solution was better liked by British men than women, with no gender difference in Finns. Liking for sucrose solution was only weakly associated with liking for sweet products based on product names. In two demographically different European populations, attraction to sweet gathered in similar product categories, but manifested differently at different ages and each gender.

Mise en place d’un parcours de prévention et de soins bucco-dentaires destiné aux étudiants de l’Université Paris EST Créteil (UPEC)

The need for oral health care, especially for the most vulnerable students, was identified at the University Paris Est Creteil. This article presents the actions put in place to assist the dental care for students. A study was conducted on the results of the statements of students came to consult the University Preventive Medicine and Health Promotion service (SUMPPS) of the Paris Est Creteil University from 1 September 2015 to 15 May 2016. Its objective was to identify the mains driving risks factors of impaired oral health. At each of the identified risks was associated with an action of dental prevention and/or treatment. Tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, psychological distress and eating disorders appear as lines requiring the establishment of councils of action for prevention and oral care. Counseling for students required to indicate the risks of degradation of the oral health status and that management should accord importance to the recommendations related to food balance. The implementation of preventive dentistry in the SUMPPS and dental courses via the RESUS network set up by the University and the Henri-Mondor Group of the AP–HP Odontology Service makes a dental public health need. Coupled to a care network in which the student is facing a host structure, these actions of prevention and screening make more general health interest for the student.

Health interest modulates brain reward responses to a perceived low-caloric beverage in females.

Health labels are omnipresent in the supermarket. Such labels give rise to expectations about the product experience and may change flavor perception and perceived reward value. Consumers vary in their degree of health interest and may be differentially affected by such labels. However, how health interest influences neural reward responses to anticipation and receipt of heath-labeled foods is not known. This study assessed to what extent brain responses induced by anticipation and receipt of a beverage with different levels of perceived caloric content are associated with health interest. Twenty-five females completed an fMRI motivational taste-task in which they were presented with a low-caloric cue or a high-caloric cue and subsequently worked for sips of lemonade by moving a joystick. If they responded correctly and in time, they received the lemonade as a reward. Because of the 2 cue types, participants believed they were receiving 2 different lemonades, a high-caloric (HC-receipt) and a low-caloric (LC-receipt) one. Health interest was assessed with the General health interest subscale of the Health and Taste Attitude Scales. Health interest scores correlated significantly (r = .65) with LC-versus HC-receipt activation in the dorsal striatum (putamen), a region involved in encoding food reward. These findings suggest that the reward value of a healthy product compared to its unhealthy counterpart increases with health interest. This provides more insight into the working mechanism of government campaigns that focus on increasing health interest to encourage the formation of healthy eating habits. (PsycINFO Database Record