Perceived healthiness of foods: A systematic review of qualitative studies
Vinícius Rodrigues Arruda Pinto,
Rafael Faria de Abreu Campos,
Felipe Rocha,
Magnus Luiz Emmendoerfer,
Márcia Cristina Teixeira Ribeiro Vidigal,
Samuel José Silva Soares da Rocha,
Suzana Maria Della Lucia,
Laura Fernandes Melo Cabral,
Antônio Fernandes de Carvalho,
Ítalo Tuler Perrone
Affiliations
Vinícius Rodrigues Arruda Pinto
Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos (DTA), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Campus Universitário, s/n, CEP 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil; Corresponding author.
Rafael Faria de Abreu Campos
Centro de Desenvolvimento e Planejamento Regional (Cedeplar), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
Felipe Rocha
Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos (DTA), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Campus Universitário, s/n, CEP 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
Magnus Luiz Emmendoerfer
Departamento de Administração e Contabilidade (DAD), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Campus Universitário, s/n, CEP 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
Márcia Cristina Teixeira Ribeiro Vidigal
Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos (DTA), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Campus Universitário, s/n, CEP 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
Samuel José Silva Soares da Rocha
Departamento de Engenharia Florestal (DEF), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Campus Universitário, s/n, CEP 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
Suzana Maria Della Lucia
Departamento de Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES), Alto Universitário, s/n, CEP 29500-000 Alegre, ES, Brazil
Laura Fernandes Melo Cabral
Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos (DTA), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Campus Universitário, s/n, CEP 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
Antônio Fernandes de Carvalho
Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos (DTA), Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Campus Universitário, s/n, CEP 36570-900 Viçosa, MG, Brazil
Ítalo Tuler Perrone
Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Rua José Lourenço Kelmer, São Pedro, CEP 36036-330 Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
Perceived healthiness (PH) has been the subject of intensive research over the last years, mainly due to its huge impact on food choice. Nonetheless, consumers’ perceptions of healthiness have predominantly been investigated from the quantitative perspective. This systematic review identified 60 qualitative studies to answer the following questions: How has the PH of foods been investigated and explored? How the importance of food healthiness (FH) influence consumer attitudes and food choices? How has FH been important to reinforce consumers’ expectations? What opportunities and barriers can be identified in terms of ethical, sustainable, and environmental motivations? Content analysis identified five dimensions: ‘misconception, knowledge or cognition’, ‘pleasure’, ‘healthiness importance’, ‘purity’, and ‘environmentally friendly or ethical issues’. We suggested that information about self-directed benefits can affect both the expectation and tasting of foods. Overall, the desire for more palatable “healthy” foods may explain a growing attention for future foods providing good feelings (e.g., green comfort foods). Making health policies and educational interventions may help increase the importance of healthiness in a stimulus-independent manner to maximize potential healthier choices, influencing sensory pathways. In this regard, it is important that the industry, consumers, and government priorities be aligned with in the future.
