TY - JOUR
T1 - Social marketing and healthy eating
T2 - Findings from young people in Greece
AU - Kapetanaki, Ariadne Beatrice
AU - Brennan, David Ross
AU - Caraher, Martin
PY - 2014/7/1
Y1 - 2014/7/1
N2 - Greece has high rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases owing to poor dietary choices. This research provides lessons for social marketing to tackle the severe nutrition-related problems in this country by obtaining insight into the eating behaviour of young adults aged 18-23. Also, the main behavioural theories used to inform the research are critically discussed. The research was conducted in Athens. Nine focus groups with young adults from eight educational institutions were conducted and fifty-nine participants' views towards eating habits, healthy eating and the factors that affect their food choices were explored. The study found that the participants adopted unhealthier nutritional habits after enrolment. Motivations for healthy eating were good health, appearance and psychological consequences, while barriers included lack of time, fast-food availability and taste, peer pressure, lack of knowledge and lack of family support. Participants reported lack of supportive environments when deciding on food choices. Based on the findings, recommendations about the development of the basic 4Ps of the marketing mix, as well as of a fifth P, for Policy are proposed.
AB - Greece has high rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases owing to poor dietary choices. This research provides lessons for social marketing to tackle the severe nutrition-related problems in this country by obtaining insight into the eating behaviour of young adults aged 18-23. Also, the main behavioural theories used to inform the research are critically discussed. The research was conducted in Athens. Nine focus groups with young adults from eight educational institutions were conducted and fifty-nine participants' views towards eating habits, healthy eating and the factors that affect their food choices were explored. The study found that the participants adopted unhealthier nutritional habits after enrolment. Motivations for healthy eating were good health, appearance and psychological consequences, while barriers included lack of time, fast-food availability and taste, peer pressure, lack of knowledge and lack of family support. Participants reported lack of supportive environments when deciding on food choices. Based on the findings, recommendations about the development of the basic 4Ps of the marketing mix, as well as of a fifth P, for Policy are proposed.
KW - Behavioural theories
KW - Educational institutions
KW - Food policy
KW - Greece
KW - Healthy eating
KW - Upstream social marketing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84903435195&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12208-013-0112-x
DO - 10.1007/s12208-013-0112-x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84903435195
SN - 1865-1984
VL - 11
SP - 161
EP - 180
JO - International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing
JF - International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing
IS - 2
ER -