Che cosa mangi? Relazione tra conoscenze nutrizionali e scelte alimentari dei consumatori

The various aspects of eating behavior are the consequence both of familiar and cultural traditions that are obtained from childhood and nutritional knowledge that are learned throughout scientific publications and mass media. Moreover, sociological, cultural and environmental aspects can influence personal food choice and behavior. The choice of food is also affected by its palatability, individual pleasure, taste, facility of cooking and price; all these factors not always enhance the consumer to choose foods according to nutritional guidelines. In the present study nutritional knowledge on calorie content of foods has been investigated in a group of consumers in Pavia. Consumer's eating behavior regarding the possibility of eating only one food in a meal has been investigated too. The results show superficial nutritional knowledge at least for a good percentage of the sample. Consequently people asked to choose one food as the only one present in a meal did it according to its organoleptic characteristics and taste more than to its nutritional quality. Therefore it can be pointed out that the consumers need more nutrition education in order to select food according to recommended dietary allowances. La connaissance nutritionnelle est etudiee sur un groupe de consommateurs de Pavie: ils doivent choisir un aliment unique par repas. Les resultats montrent que la connaissance reste superficielle dans le domaine de la nutrition pour un grand nombre de ces individus. Les personnes se sont surtout basees sur les proprietes orgonalopetiques des aliments pour les choisir.