Attitudes Towards Food

There are marked differences in the way information is transmitted by public health initiatives and the food industry, so the failure to successfully transmit a health message may not reflect the message but rather how it is presented. Food choice can be influenced by emotion, and marketing understands that playing on intangible benefits generates a decision to buy. As food purchasing is often not logical, marketing may appeal to a person’s insecurities, emotional needs or ignorance of the nature of food. The right word has a psychological impact, so for example, a premium will be paid for foods that claim to be environmentally friendly. Words such as natural sell food, but it is unclear what this means. The word may not be used, but rather implied by a picture of the countryside. The offering of health information and advice, differs markedly from the way food is successfully sold in the marketplace. Perhaps health advice should learn from the food industry and point out how a change in diet may satisfy some basic psychological needs rather than offering scientific advice.