The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic changes to life worldwide. In Spain, the state of alarm caused the confinement of 47 million inhabitants, affecting every aspect of life. This study analyzes the impact of such confinement on the health of men and women, as well as the effect on the practice of physical activity (PA) of both genders. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered. A total of 1046 people (48.57% men and 51.43% women) with an average age of 40 years (SD ± 13.35) participated in this study. For both genders, there was a significant decrease in quantity and intensity (p = 0.000). There was also an alteration in the type of PA practiced, shifting from cardiorespiratory exercise and muscular fitness to flexibility and neuromotor exercise (especially in women). The most popular way of practicing PA during the confinement was “autonomously” (statistically higher in men (M = 3.58) compared to women (M = 3.18)) and the most frequent format was “virtual” (statistically higher in women (M = 2.81) compared to men (M = 1.94)). Confinement modifies the habits of PA practice, especially in men. Both genders put their health and quality of life at risk by not following the PA guidelines of the health authorities World Health Organization (WHO) and American College of Sports Medicine ACSM). These conclusions highlight the importance of considering gender when designing programs and PA formats for the promotion of physical activity to reduce the existing gender divide.
The present world has led in individuals to become ever more interested in the consumption of organic food. Accordingly, companies are incorporating these worries in their managerial decisions by paying special attention to market segmentation. In this context, a relevant target audience is that conformed by young Millennials, a group defined by its growing purchase power, its intense influence on societies, but also by its inconsistency in terms of pro‐environmental behaviors. In order to understand the mechanisms that rule the human behavior, motivations emerge as fair predictors of sustainable products consumption. Therefore, the present study aims at analyzing the motivations that stimulate young Millennials to purchase organic food. Hence, it was conducted a survey study with a total sample of 378 college students. Afterwards, once executed a cluster analysis, four differentiated groups were highlighted: amotivated (23.02%), who have no intention to perform any sort of organic purchase; socially‐influenced (24.34%), motivated to purchase organic due to social acceptance; self‐determined (25.92%), mainly autonomous in their organic food consumption; and conscience‐affected (26.72%), who behave organic for self‐esteem. Although data reveal the existence of an overall organic concern among the sample, only self‐determined individuals may be prone to maintain their behaviors among time since the intrinsic motivation they show is higher than that of the other groups. These findings are of undeniable interest. The study of the motivational system of young Millennials will allow companies in the organic food sector to adjust their offer to the relevant target and achieve an enduring organic consumption.
En España, la declaración del estado de alarma por la pandemia Covid-19, supuso que entre el 14 de marzo y el 2 de mayo de 2020, 47 millones de habitantes estuvieran confinados y sólo pudieran salir a cubrir necesidades básicas. Ante este hecho es oportuno analizar su impacto sobre la salud, tomando en consideración cómo afectó a la práctica de la actividad física. Se administró un cuestionario ad hoc. Los participantes fueron 1046 personas (hombre 48.57% y mujer 51.43%) y con una edad media de 40 (± DT 13.35 años). Respecto a la práctica de actividad física, destaca una significativa disminución de intensidad y cantidad (p < .001), y una modificación del tipo de actividad física realizada, pasando de deportes cardiovasculares y de aptitud muscular a prácticas de gimnasias suaves y flexibilidad. Aumentó el porcentaje total de personas que no realizaron nada de actividad física. Aun disponiendo de más tiempo libre, las personas en situación de ERTE, disminuyeron significativamente su cantidad de actividad física realizada (p < .001). Estos resultados permiten concluir que el confinamiento supuso una modificación de hábitos de práctica de actividad física, una disminución de los valores recomendados como saludables, lo que conllevó implicaciones sobre la salud y la calidad de vida. Se ofrece información que ayudará a entender estos nuevos comportamientos y que facilitará a los gestores estrategias innovadoras para activar la vuelta a niveles anteriores de actividad física, su incremento y, en definitiva, la reactivación del sector deportivo. Abstract: In Spain, the declaration of the state of alarm due to the Covid-19 pandemic, meant that between 14th of March and 2nd of May 2020, 47 million inhabitants were confined at home and could only go out to cover basic needs. This unprecedented event has led to a paradigm shift, and it is appropriate to analyze its impact on health, considering how it has affected the practice of physical activity. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered. The participants were 1046 people (48.57% male and 51.43% female) and the average age of 40 (± DT 13.35 years). Regarding the practice of physical activity, a significant decrease in intensity and quantity stands out (p < .001), and a modification of the type of physical activity performed, going from cardiovascular sports and muscular fitness to soft gymnastics and flexibility practices. The total percentage of people who did no physical activity at all, increased. In addition, although more free time was available, people in ERTE situation significantly decreased their amount of physical activity performed (p < .001). These results allow us to conclude that confinement has meant a modification of physical activity practice habits and a decrease in the recommended values of healthy healthy, and therefore has had implications on health and quality of life. This information will help to understand these new behaviors in order for managers to implement innovative strategies to reactivate the return to previous levels of physical activity, its increase and, in short, the reactivation of the sports sector.
Despite the growing awareness of the need to promote the consumption of organic food, consumers have difficulties in correctly identifying it in the market, making frequent cognitive mistakes in the evaluation of products identified by sustainability labels and claims. This work analyzes the halo effect and the source credibility bias in the interpretation of product attributes based on third-party certified labels. It is hypothesized that, regardless of their specific meaning, official labels lead consumers to infer higher environmental sustainability, quality and price of the product, due to the credibility attributed to the certifying entity. It also examines the extent to which providing the consumer with accurate labeling information helps prevent biased heuristic thinking. An experimental between-subject study was performed with a sample of 412 Spanish business students and data were analyzed using partial least squares. Findings revealed that consumers tend to infer environmental superiority and, consequently, higher quality in products identified by both organic and non-organic certified labels, due to their credibility. Label credibility was also associated with price inferences, to a greater extent than the meaning attributed to the label. Interestingly, providing accurate information did not avoid biased heuristic thinking in product evaluation.
Consumers are often overexposed to sustainability symbols and claims on food product packages and find it difficult to accurately judge their meaning when making purchase decisions. Based on the heuristic-systematic model (HSM), this paper aims to identify cognitive mechanisms to reduce the heuristic credibility of organic advertising claims and to increase the motivation for searching for more reliable information when making product judgements. Particularly, we hypothesize that knowledge and defense and accuracy motivations affect organic claim credibility, which in turn is related to organic product judgement. Data collected from an experimental between-subject study with a sample of 412 Spanish undergraduates was analyzed using partial least squares. The results indicated that claim credibility was directly related to the attribution of organic properties to products, and was affected by defense motivation especially when appropriate knowledge was not available. Improving consumers’ knowledge reduced organic claim credibility and triggered a positive effect of accuracy motivation on credibility. The findings stress the importance of improving the regulation of ambitious advertising claims and developing specific educational campaigns to empower consumers and prevent biased purchase decisions of organic products.
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