Consumers' risk and benefit perceptions related to food consumption and the optimistic bias related to chronic diseases development

Abstract

A change in Brazilian's dietary patterns has been noticed over the last years, an increase in ultra-processed foods consumption alongside an increase in obesity and chronic diseases prevalence. According to population diet studies, the higher consumption of this type of food has been related to a nutritionally poor diet that is also higher in calories and fats. It is possible that the population is consuming these types of food due to the fact that they do not recognize the existence of the risk associated with this kind of food consumption. It is well known that the underestimation of risk leads to a risky behavior, as risk reduction seems to encourage behavior changes. Therefore, this study aims the observance of the awareness of risk and benefit perception of the consumers as far as some foods consumption is concerned and it also aims the investigation of the optimist bias about chronic disease development. The cross-section survey will be composed of individuals between 18 and 70 years old from the city of Limeira, including students from the University of Campinas and members of the population in general. In order to evaluate risk and benefit perceptions related to certain food consumption a seven-point scale (-3 to 3) will be used and as for the evaluation of food choices motivations a model that is similar to the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) will be applied also using another seven-point scale (1 to 7). The optimistic bias will be investigated by using the indirect method in a seven-point scale (-3 to 3). (AU)