Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39905339›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Food choice motivations and perceptions of healthy eating: a cross-sectional study among consumers in the UAE.

Leila Cheikh Ismail, Tareq M Osaili, Reyad Shaker Obaid, Mona Hashim, Marya Ahmed, Fatma Al-Fayadh, Aisha Farah, Hanin Sad, Humood Alghanem, Maysm N Mohamad and 6 more

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Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Leila Cheikh IsmailDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE. lcheikhismail@sharjah.ac.ae.
Tareq M OsailiDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Reyad Shaker ObaidDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Mona HashimDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Marya AhmedDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Fatma Al-FayadhDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Aisha FarahDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Hanin SadDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Humood AlghanemDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Maysm N MohamadDepartment of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, UAE.
Sheima T SalehDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Rameez Al DaourDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, 27272, UAE.
Emad MasuadiDepartment of Public Health Institute, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, UAE.
Lily StojanovskaInstitute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3011, Australia. lily.stojanovska@vu.edu.au.
Habiba I AliDepartment of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, UAE.
Ayesha S Al DhaheriDepartment of Nutrition and Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 15551, UAE.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInvestigating consumer food choice motivations is crucial for planning effective policies and targeted interventions. This study aimed to examine the food choice motivations and perceptions of healthy eating among adults in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and to segment consumers based on their motivations.

methodsA web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among adults in the UAE (n = 1209). An overall perception of healthy eating score was calculated based on the sum of the responses to the perception statements. Food motivation scores were calculated with a higher score indicating more influence of the food motivation group. Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) and K-means cluster analysis were used to identify and determine the optimal number of clusters. Differences between clusters were evaluated using an Independent sample t-test, One-Way ANOVA test, and Chi-square analysis.

resultsParticipants mostly agreed that a healthy diet should be balanced, varied, and complete (84.4%), that fruit and vegetables are essential to a practice of healthy eating (82.8%), and that they can eat everything as long as it is in small quantities (60.1%). Females, younger adults, those with higher education levels, and those with normal BMI tended to have a slightly more positive perception of a healthy diet than their counterparts (p < 0.05). Health motivation (mean = 3.43, SD ± 0.78) exhibited the highest influence on the participants' food choices, followed by emotional motivations (mean = 3.26, SD ± 0.68). Health-related motivations mainly influenced food choices among participants in both identified clusters but were notably more emphasised in Cluster 1. Cluster 1 demonstrated significantly higher mean scores in all other categories than Cluster 2 (p < 0.001). Cluster 1 encompasses more female participants than males, while Cluster 2 comprises a more significant proportion of males and individuals falling within higher income brackets (p < 0.001).

conclusionsThe results of the current study offer valuable insights into various crucial aspects that impact the decisions of individuals' food choices. Based on distinct motivational structures identified through cluster analysis, personalised approaches can encourage healthier dietary practices. A holistic approach acknowledging emotional, economic, environmental, alongside health-related factors is vital.

Indexed as

Choice BehaviorDiet, HealthyFood PreferencesMotivationAdolescentAdultCluster AnalysisCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited Arab EmiratesYoung AdultDietary behaviourFood selectionHealthy food choicesMotivationsPerceptions

Identifiers

PMID39905339
PMCPMC11792200

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.