University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 9, 12042, Pollenzo, Italy.
Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 3K7, Canada.
Sci Rep. 2022 Nov 21;12(1):20036. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-24325-z.
Given the environmental challenge we face globally, a transition to sustainable diets seems essential. However, the cognitive aspects underlying sustainable food consumption have received little attention to date. The aims of this cross-cultural study were: (1) to explore how impulsivity traits and individuals' knowledge of food environmental impact influence their frequency of consumption of animal- and plant-based foods; (2) to understand the modulation of individual characteristics (i.e. generation, sex, BMI, and sustainability knowledge). An online survey investigating impulsivity traits, sustainability knowledge and ratings of diverse food items was designed and administered to respondents from Italy (N = 992) and Turkey (N = 896). Results showed that Turkish respondents were higher in impulsivity and animal products consumption. Italians, instead, had greater sustainability knowledge and consumed more plant-based foods. Females in both groups reported greater knowledge of sustainability, consistent with previous findings. In terms of generations, the lowest consumption of animal products was reported by Turkish Generation Z and Italian Millennials. In conclusion, this study shed light on the interaction of psychological factors and individual characteristics with the perceived environmental impact of foods. Moreover, the adopted cross-cultural approach allowed to identify several differences in participants' responses ascribable to their different nationalities and gastronomic cultures.
鉴于我们在全球面临的环境挑战，向可持续饮食转变似乎是必要的。然而，迄今为止，人们对可持续食物消费的认知方面关注甚少。本跨文化研究的目的是：(1) 探讨冲动特质和个体对食物环境影响的认知如何影响他们食用动物和植物性食物的频率；(2) 了解个体特征（即代际、性别、BMI 和可持续性知识）的调节作用。设计并向来自意大利（N=992）和土耳其（N=896）的受访者进行了一项关于冲动特质、可持续性知识和各种食物评价的在线调查。结果表明，土耳其受访者的冲动特质和动物产品消费较高。相比之下，意大利人则具有更高的可持续性知识和更多的植物性食物消费。这两个群体中的女性都报告了更高的可持续性知识，这与之前的研究结果一致。就代际而言，土耳其的 Z 世代和意大利的千禧一代报告的动物产品消费最低。总之，这项研究揭示了心理因素和个体特征与食物环境影响感知之间的相互作用。此外，采用的跨文化方法可以识别出参与者因国籍和饮食文化不同而产生的反应差异。
