Riccardo Migliavada

The demand for coffeehouses has been growing globally; however, little is known about the psychological factors associated with individuals’ coffeehouse selection. Drawing on a value–motivation–intention framework, this study examines how materialism–coffeehouse as defining success (M-CDS), as an underlying value orientation, relates to snob, bandwagon, hedonic consumption tendency (HCT), and eudaimonic orientations, and how these orientations are associated with customers’ willingness to select coffeehouses. Survey data collected from Türkiye (n = 286) and Italy (n = 315) were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings showed that M-CDS was positively associated with all four psychological orientations, each of which was positively associated with willingness to select coffeehouses. Significant indirect effects were also observed through all four orientations, with the eudaimonic pathway showing the largest specific indirect effect. Multi-group analysis identified several between-country differences: the relationship between eudaimonic motivation and willingness was stronger among Italian participants, whereas the relationship between HCT and willingness was stronger among Turkish participants. These findings indicate that coffeehouse selection is associated not only with functional considerations but also with consumers’ value orientations and social and experiential motivations. The study extends previous research by incorporating the eudaimonic pathway and examining these relationships across Turkish and Italian samples, while offering practical insights for coffeehouse managers operating across different markets.

Food waste is a persistent global concern, requiring behavioral and systemic responses from consumers. The current study investigated the effect of sociodemographic factors and digital activism on food waste prevention behavior. Data from 390 respondents living in Italy (65% females, from 18 to 75 years old, grouped into four generations) were collected through an online survey covering these sections: sociodemographic variables, digital activism, knowledge, attitudes, and food waste behaviors. A Food Waste Prevention Index (FWPI) was computed to assess self-reported adherence to waste-reducing practices, and differences across three groups identified through tertiles were tested. Women displayed higher levels of digital activism; Gen Z was the most engaged generation in seeking information about food, while interest in food issues declined with age. Gender, geographical area, and dietary orientation significantly influenced food waste prevention, with women, rural residents, and individuals adopting flexitarian or vegetarian diets tending towards more virtuous behavior (higher FWPI). According to digital activism, less virtuous waste behavior (lower FWPI) was associated with a lower social media and apps usage frequency. Furthermore, higher FWPI individuals self-reported stronger sensitivity to sustainability-related topics such as circular economy, short food chains, and ethical or environmental motivations for vegetarianism. Overall, awareness and digital activism may synergistically foster more responsible food consumption, and targeted communication and digital tools can effectively support household food waste reduction strategies.

Background/Objectives: Menu calorie labeling policies aim to promote healthier eating habits, yet their effectiveness remains debated. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of two alternative qualitative labeling strategies—Physical Activity Calorie Equivalent (PACE) labels and Percent Daily Intake (PDI) pie charts—compared to the standard numeric calorie count mandated in several countries, since they have been proposed to enhance consumer comprehension and decision-making. Methods: A nationwide online survey elicited responses from N = 885 individuals living in Italy. Survey participants were randomly assigned to one of three menu conditions: (1) numeric calorie labeling only, (2) numeric calories plus PACE labels, or (3) numeric calories plus a PDI pie chart. Participants selected a three-course meal from their respective menus. Data on sociodemographic factors, dietary habits, BMI, self-assessed nutritional knowledge, and psychological traits—restrained eating (DEBQ-R) and impulsivity (SUPPS-P)—were collected. Ordinal logistic regressions assessed the impact of labeling format, gender, and nutritional knowledge on total calories ordered. Results: Neither PACE labels nor PDI pie charts significantly influenced total calorie selection compared to numeric calorie labels alone. No significant interactions emerged between labeling format and gender or nutritional knowledge. However, age, BMI, and dietary habits were strongly associated with calorie choices: older adults, individuals with restrictive diets, and those with higher restrained eating scores selected lower-calorie meals, while participants with higher BMI or frequent meat intake opted for more calorie-dense options. Conclusions: Alternative calorie labeling formats alone may be insufficient to alter food choices in online settings. Future interventions should integrate motivational and educational strategies tailored to individual traits and dietary habits, rather than relying solely on calorie presentation format.

Background/Objectives: Menu calorie labeling policies aim to promote healthier eating habits, yet their effectiveness remains debated. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of two alternative qualitative labeling strategies - Physical Activity Calorie Equivalent (PACE) labels and Percent Daily Intake (PDI) pie charts - compared to the standard numeric calorie count mandated in several countries, since they have been proposed to enhance consumer comprehension and decision-making. Methods: A large-scale online survey (N = 885) conducted in Italy randomly assigned participants to one of three menu conditions: (1) numeric calorie labeling only, (2) numeric calories plus PACE labels, or (3) numeric calories plus a PDI pie chart. Participants selected a three-course meal from their respective menus. Data on sociodemographic factors, dietary habits, BMI, self-assessed nutritional knowledge, and psychological traits —restrained eating (DEBQ-R) and impulsivity (SUPPS-P)— were collected. Ordinal logistic regressions assessed the impact of labeling format, gender, and nutritional knowledge on total cal-ories ordered. Results: Neither PACE labels nor PDI pie charts significantly influenced total calorie selection compared to numeric calorie labels alone. No significant interactions emerged between labeling format and gender or nutritional knowledge. However, age, BMI, and dietary habits were strongly associated with calorie choices: older adults, in-dividuals with restrictive diets, and those with higher restrained eating scores selected lower-calorie meals, while participants with higher BMI or frequent meat intake opted for more calorie-dense options. Conclusions: Alternative calorie labeling formats alone may be insufficient to alter food choices in online settings. Future interventions should inte-grate motivational and educational strategies tailored to individual traits and dietary habits, rather than relying solely on calorie presentation format.

There is a confirmed and ongoing need to encourage adherence to healthy dietary patterns in the general population in western societies, given their recognized positive impact in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). A potentially very effective solution is the use of digital tools such as apps and web apps, which can reach a large number of people quickly. Still, to be effective, it is necessary to better understand how participant engagement in these interventions works, to identify the motivations that may lead them to drop out, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. In our study, an innovative web app designed to encourage adherence to the Mediterranean diet (EATMED) was tested in an intervention study, evaluating adherence to the Mediterranean diet before and after the use of the web app in a cohort of people, compared to a control group, using the MEDI-lite questionnaire. The Health and Taste Attitude Scale questionnaire was also administered to all participants to assess interest in healthy foods and diets, as well as attitudes toward food. The study showed that the score of the Food as Reward subscale of the HTAS had a significant effect on dropout from the intervention study, and that the use of the app among participants who remained resulted in a two-point increase in adherence to the Mediterranean diet, according to the MEDI-lite questionnaire. These results indicate the effectiveness of the EATMED tool and provide useful insights into how to understand and mitigate dropout in digital nutrition interventions.

There is a confirmed and ongoing need to encourage adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the general population in western societies, given its recognized positive impact in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). A potentially very effective solution is the use of digital tools such as apps and web apps, which can reach a large number of people quickly. Still, to be effective, it is necessary to better understand how participant engagement in these interventions works, to identify the motivations that may lead them to drop out, and to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. In our study, an innovative web app designed to encourage adherence to the Mediterranean diet (EATMED) was tested in an intervention study, evaluating adherence to the Mediterranean diet before and after the use of the web app in a cohort of people, compared to a control group, using the MEDI-lite questionnaire. The Health and Taste Attitude Scale questionnaire was also administered to all participants to assess interest in healthy foods and diets, as well as attitudes toward food. The study showed that the score of the Food as Reward subscale of the HTAS had a significant effect on dropout from the intervention study, and that the use of the app among participants who remained resulted in a two-point increase in adherence to the Mediterranean diet, according to the MEDI-lite questionnaire. These results indicate the effectiveness of the EATMED tool and provide useful insights into how to understand and mitigate dropout in digital nutrition interventions.

The current study reports an ethnobotanical field investigation of traditionally gathered and consumed wild greens (Chorta) in one of the five so-called Blue Zones in the world: Ikaria Isle, Greece. Through 31 semi-structured interviews, a total of 56 wild green plants were documented along with their culinary uses, linguistic labels, and locally perceived tastes. Most of the gathered greens were described as bitter and associated with members of Asteraceae and Brassicaceae botanical families (31%), while among the top-quoted wild greens, species belonging to these two plant families accounted for 50% of the wild vegetables, which were consumed mostly cooked. Cross-cultural comparison with foraging in other areas of the central-eastern Mediterranean and the Near East demonstrated a remarkable overlapping of Ikarian greens with Cretan and Sicilian, as well as in the prevalence of bitter-tasting botanical genera. Important differences with other wild greens-related food heritage were found, most notably with the Armenian and Kurdish ones, which do not commonly feature many bitter greens. The proven role of extra-oral bitter taste receptors in the modulation of gastric emptying, glucose absorption and crosstalk with microbiota opens new ways of looking at these differences, in particular with regard to possible health implications. The present study is also an important attempt to preserve and document the bio-cultural gastronomic heritage of Chorta as a quintessential part of the Mediterranean diet. The study recommends that nutritionists, food scientists, and historians, as well as policymakers and practitioners, pay the required attention to traditional rural dietary systems as models of sustainable health.

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.