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Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and COVID-19: A Segmentation Analysis of Italian and US Consumers

Author

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  • Francesca Gerini

    (Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Firenze, Italy)

  • Tommaso Fantechi

    (Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Firenze, Italy)

  • Caterina Contini

    (Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Firenze, Italy)

  • Leonardo Casini

    (Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Firenze, Italy)

  • Gabriele Scozzafava

    (Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, P.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Firenze, Italy)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led many countries to implement restrictions on individual freedom to stop the contagion. The imposition of lockdowns has affected many socio-economic aspects and, in particular, eating habits, highlighting the need to analyse the healthiness of new consumption patterns. The aim of our study was to investigate the changes in adherence to the Mediterranean diet, a dietary model universally recognized as healthy, that have occurred both during and since the lockdown. The subsequent profiling of consumers allowed us to understand which sociodemographic and psychographic factors favoured the development of more or less adherence to Mediterranean diet consumption patterns. The study was conducted by administering a questionnaire to a representative sample of Italians and New Yorkers. Both groups, defined by deep socio-economic differences and by their own eating habits compared to the Mediterranean diet model, were affected by similar lockdown measures. The data collected were processed by cluster analysis that allowed to identify four homogeneous groups with respect to the adherence to the Mediterranean diet model. The results highlight a worrying situation with respect to the impacts of the pandemic on maintaining a proper dietary style according to the principles of the Mediterranean diet. In fact, there has been a general worsening trend due to an increase in consumption, in part linked to emotional eating, which is a cause for concern about the potential future impacts on the health of consumers. The study highlights the need, therefore, to implement actions by public decision-makers aimed at raising the awareness of citizens on the issue of correct eating habits and at developing adequate food policies to stem the trend towards unhealthy diets.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesca Gerini & Tommaso Fantechi & Caterina Contini & Leonardo Casini & Gabriele Scozzafava, 2022. "Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and COVID-19: A Segmentation Analysis of Italian and US Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-20, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:7:p:3823-:d:778329
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. G. V. Kass, 1980. "An Exploratory Technique for Investigating Large Quantities of Categorical Data," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 29(2), pages 119-127, June.
    2. Richard Tiffin & Matthieu Arnoult, 2010. "The demand for a healthy diet: estimating the almost ideal demand system with infrequency of purchase," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 37(4), pages 501-521, December.
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    1. Gabriele Scozzafava & Caterina Contini & Francesca Gerini & Leonardo Casini, 2022. "Post-lockdown changes in diet in Italy and the USA: Return to old habits or structural changes?," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 10(1), pages 1-20, December.

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