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Perceptions from Member-Consumers of a University Community for Sustainable and Healthy Eating: Evidence from Greece

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  • Athina Mastora

    (Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece)

  • Fotios Chatzitheodoridis

    (Department of Management Science and Technology, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece)

  • Dimitris Skalkos

    (Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece)

Abstract

Healthy eating is a vital component of a sustainable daily life, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, we investigated the perceptions and attitudes of the members of a Greek university community, especially the young members, on: (i) health itself, (ii) healthy eating, and (iii) healthy eating campaigns today. The research was conducted electronically in the last three months of 2023 via a questionnaire survey and 1046 member-consumers participated. Statistical analysis, including descriptive and cluster analysis to group respondents into homogenous segments, was performed by employing a one-way ANOVA. The highlights of the results indicate that consumers perceive physical and mental health and energy efficiency as health preconditions, while they perceive a balanced and sustainable diet as the main parameter of healthy eating. They are influenced mostly by doctors and health providers and use information mostly based on common sense and their upbringing for their healthy eating choices. The cluster analysis revealed two distinctive groups of consumers categorized by this study as the “approachables” (54.5%), affected by today’s sustainable knowledge and concepts on healthy eating, and the “conservatives” (45.5%), who are reluctant to accepted these as such.

Suggested Citation

  • Athina Mastora & Fotios Chatzitheodoridis & Dimitris Skalkos, 2024. "Perceptions from Member-Consumers of a University Community for Sustainable and Healthy Eating: Evidence from Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-16, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:5:p:2213-:d:1352453
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nguyen, Nga & Priporas, Constantinos-Vasilios & McPherson, Mark & Manyiwa, Simon, 2023. "CSR-related consumer scepticism: A review of the literature and future research directions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    2. Tonje Holte Stea & Oda Nordheim & Elling Bere & Per Stornes & Terje Andreas Eikemo, 2020. "Fruit and vegetable consumption in Europe according to gender, educational attainment and regional affiliation—A cross-sectional study in 21 European countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(5), pages 1-9, May.
    3. Belon, Ana Paula & Nieuwendyk, Laura M. & Vallianatos, Helen & Nykiforuk, Candace I.J., 2016. "Perceived community environmental influences on eating behaviors: A Photovoice analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 18-29.
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