Elderly People‘s Perception of New and Convenience Foods With Health Benefits

Abstract

Attitudes with regard to food are good predictors of behavior and a good knowledge of it plays an important part in dietary education according to different groups of the population especially high-risk groups lacking nutrients. An evaluation of attitudes of persons aged 65+ with regard to new and unknown food as well as the acquaintance and degree of approval presented in examining convenience products with health-focused properties was the main aim of the research. The level of neophobia of dietary practices in terms of the examined group of women was lower comparing to the level in men. Consumption and/or the desire for trying out new, unknown food of a high nutritional value by the group of seniors aged 60+ is beneficial and can be used to popularize health-focused dietary practices in this population group. Therefore, taking educational actions by producers of convenience food with health-focused properties is vital and should be aimed at propagating a health-focused model of eating in circles of elderly people. Such undertakings should be based on quality features of the product, the need for rational trophism and the influence of bioactive elements on health.

Relationship Between Food Neophobia and Dietary Habits in Turkish Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In another study, food neophobia was associated with low diet quality and increased BMI (8). Food neophobia was found to be higher in celiac patients and individuals with chronic diseases over 60 years of age compared to healthy individuals, and it was reported that this might be due to their thought that eating new foods would negatively affect their health status (25). In this study, the food neophobia score was found to be higher in those with chronic diseases.…”

Ocena akceptacji żywności o właściwościach prozdrowotnych przez kobiety w wieku 60+

“…Z kolei w badaniach nad zachowaniami sprzyjającymi zdrowiu osób starszych odnotowano, że seniorzy uzyskali wysoki poziom zachowań zdrowotnych [20] oraz że wraz z wiekiem respondentów obserwowano tendencję wzrostu zainteresowania żywnością funkcjonalną [33]. Niski poziom neofobii żywieniowej kobiet po 60. roku życia i ich pozytywne postawy względem żywności nowej i nieznanej o wysokiej wartości odżywczej są zjawiskiem korzystnym, mogącym wpłynąć pozytywnie na upowszechnienie prozdrowotnego sposobu żywienia w grupie osób starszych, zarówno kobiet, jak i mężczyzn [26,27]. Konieczna jest kontynuacja badań celem monitorowania zmian zachodzących w zacho-waniach żywieniowych i zdrowotnych seniorów.…”