About this Research Topic

Background

Despite the enhanced public awareness on the impact of food choices both on health and the environment, convincing people to change their eating habits still faces many barriers. These may include individual differences in sociocultural and psychological backgrounds that shape food choices and consumption. For example, food consumption plays an important role in the symbolic and social aspects of people’s lives, as people express individual preferences, values, identities and cultural meanings through it. Even when these barriers are eventually overcome, there frequently remains a strong discrepancy between people’s beliefs and intentions, which may prevent them from choosing more sustainable diets. Thus, there is a need for novel approaches aimed at enhancing people's motivation towards more sustainable food habits.

The complex mixture of beliefs, ethics, norms, and personal features makes the understanding of the underlying factors that drive food choices a fascinating and multidisciplinary challenge. Thus, the psychological, social, cultural, and epidemiological dimensions are key points to find the answer to the following two fundamental questions. What are the main psycho-socio-cultural factors that prevent or favor the choice of sustainable food products? What are the most effective strategies to promote them?

Within the general domain of how these dimensions interact, the present Research Topic welcomes new insights into the ways today's researchers are challenging conventional theories, methodologies and applications for explaining and encouraging sustainable eating behaviors. Authors are particularly encouraged to address directly the ways in which their work promotes an enhancement of new theories, methodologies and communication strategies, which could accelerate advances in the field of Food Psychology.

We will consider and welcome both qualitative, quantitative or mixed analysis and case studies.
We welcome different article types contributions, including, Original Research manuscripts, Methods, Opinion Hypothesis & Theory papers, etc.

Keywords: food choice, promotion of food sustainability, sustainable diet, health and environmental communication, eating behaviour change

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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