“CONSUMEHEALTH” USING CONSUMER SCIENCE TO IMPROVE HEALTHY EATING HABITS

Introduction Although today’s consumer can make informed decisions about which foods, and in what quantities, are best for a healthy life style, in recent years in the European Union there has been an increase of dietrelated health problems caused by unhealthy and over-consumption of food (e.g. overweight, obesity, and other chronic diet-related diseases). This Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) will deal with healthy eating habits, a key issue for the EU in contributing to safe, healthy and nutritious food for preserving life and making positive impact on health and society. Research questions The objective of this MSCA is twofold: (1) understand what drives consumers to make healthier food choices and (2) provide evidence-based recommendations for stakeholders and policy makers to develop and communicate innovative win-win solutions to improve eating habits and contribute to the well-being and healthy ageing of citizens. The following research questions will be answered: • Which food information (e.g. type, sources, format, 2 sided-messages) is most successfully conveyed to the population and how? • Which micro-environment changes (e.g. food presentation, attractive names, suggestive selling) are most effective in changing behavior and how? • Which individual preferences, levels of involvement, expectations, interest in a particular subject (e.g. nutrition) and demographic parameters influence the food choice for healthy eating patterns and how? • How do the findings from different techniques in consumer behavior research (e.g. hypothetical vs nonhypothetical) proposed in this action differ and how can they be integrated? Overview of the action This MSCA will consist of spending 24 months at Cornell University Food and Brand Lab. A detailed study of healthy eating patterns and behavioral economics will be carried out through lab and field experiments. Workshops and courses on food consumer research methods will provide excellent training. Visits to conferences, stakeholder meetings and other research centers (Michigan and Oklahoma State Universities), already scheduled, will be made. Finally, acquired expertise will be disseminated during the 12-month mandatory return period at the Department of Food Science, University of Parma, through seminars and courses, and through a workshop in collaboration with the European Food Safety Authority –EFSA.