Background
Methods
Study design, sampling and participants
Measures
Individual characteristics
Dietary behaviours
Perceived barriers to healthy eating
Statistical analysis
Results
Characteristics |
N
| Mean (standard deviation) |
---|---|---|
Age | 5841 | 52.0 (16.4) |
BMI | 5195 | 25.2 (4.51) |
%
| ||
Sex | 5841 | |
Female | 55.9 | |
Educational attainment | 5335 | |
Higher | 53.5 | |
Weight status (kg/m2) | 5195 | |
Overweight/obese | 45.7 | |
Household composition | 5330 | |
1 person | 22.6 | |
2 people | 39.2 | |
3 people or more | 38.2 | |
Employed or in education | 5878 | |
Yes | 58.5 | |
Urban region | 5900 | |
Ghent and suburbs (Belgium) | 30.1 | |
Paris and inner suburbs (France) | 13.9 | |
Budapest and suburbs (Hungary) | 14.8 | |
Randstad (conurbation in The Netherlands) | 27.3 | |
Greater London (United Kingdom) | 13.9 | |
Perceived barriers—frequency mentioned | ||
Irregular working hours | 5156 | 31.5 |
Giving up preferred foods | 5106 | 30.3 |
Busy lifestyle | 5149 | 42.9 |
Lack of willpower | 5153 | 44.6 |
Price of healthy foods | 5148 | 31.8 |
Taste preferences of family and friends | 5102 | 28.8 |
Lack of healthy options | 5124 | 17.8 |
Unappealing foods | 5078 | 20.2 |
Healthier dietary behaviours | ||
Higher consumption of fruit | 5353 | 53.9 |
Higher consumption of vegetable | 5412 | 60.1 |
Higher consumption of fish | 5337 | 37.8 |
Higher consumption of breakfast | 5406 | 80.6 |
Higher consumption of home-cooked meals | 5351 | 64.9 |
Unhealthier dietary behaviours | ||
Higher consumption of fast food | 4935 | 6.00 |
Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages | 5221 | 53.4 |
Higher consumption of sweets | 5297 | 54.0 |
Barriers1
| Fruit OR (95% CI) | Vegetables OR (95% CI) | Fish OR (95% CI) | Breakfast OR (95% CI) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Irregular working hours |
0.70 (0.61–0.80)
e
|
0.68 (0.59–0.79)
| 0.91 (0.79–1.05)c
|
0.62 (0.53–0.73)
|
Giving up preferred foods |
0.67 (0.59–0.76)
|
0.55 (0.48–0.63)
b, g
|
0.76 (0.66–0.87)
e
|
0.70 (0.60–0.81)
f
|
Busy lifestyle |
0.65 (0.57–0.73)
e
|
0.54 (0.47–0.62)
b
|
0.85 (0.75–0.98)
a, g
|
0.64 (0.55–0.74)
g
|
Lack of willpower |
0.57 (0.50–0.64)
g
|
0.47 (0.42–0.54)
b, c, g
|
0.67 (0.59–0.76)
e
|
0.63 (0.54–0.73)
f, g
|
Price of healthy foods |
0.65 (0.58–0.75)
d
|
0.53 (0.47–0.61)
e, g
|
0.67 (0.58–0.78)
e, g
|
0.70 (0.59–0.82)
e, f
|
Taste preferences of family and friends |
0.72 (0.63–0.81)
g
|
0.65 (0.57–0.74)
a, e
|
0.81 (0.70–0.94)
e, g
| 0.86 (0.74–1.00) |
Lack of healthy options |
0.82 (0.70–0.95)
d, f, g
|
0.74 (0.63–0.87)
|
0.80 (0.67–0.95)
e
|
0.69 (0.58–0.82)
g
|
Unappealing foods |
0.60 (0.52–0.69)
a, d
|
0.54 (0.47–0.63)
a, b, d
|
0.72 (0.61–0.86)
g
|
0.63 (0.53–0.75)
|
Barriers1
| Home-cooked meals OR (95% CI) | Fast food OR (95% CI) | Sweets OR (95% CI) | Sugar-sweetened beverages OR (95% CI) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Irregular working hours |
0.53 (0.45–0.61)
g
|
1.93 (1.45–2.57)
|
1.20 (1.05–1.38)
a
|
1.40 (1.22–1.61)
g
|
Giving up preferred foods |
0.60 (0.53–0.69)
g
|
1.73 (1.34–2.24)
c
|
1.28 (1.12–1.47)
b, d
|
1.25 (1.10–1.43)
|
Busy lifestyle |
0.52 (0.45–0.59)
a, c, f, g
|
2.07 (1.57–2.73)
f
| 1.13 (0.99–1.28)g
|
1.41 (1.23–1.61)
|
Lack of willpower |
0.48 (0.42–0.55)
g
|
2.06 (1.60–2.66)
|
1.45 (1.29–1.64)
b, g
|
1.43 (1.27–1.61)
b
|
Price of healthy foods |
0.66 (0.57–0.77)
a, e, g
|
1.59 (1.20–2.11)
g
| 0.97 (0.85–1.11)g
| 0.93 (0.81–1.07) |
Taste preferences of family and friends |
0.81 (0.71–0.93)
e, f, g
|
1.48 (1.13–1.94)
| 0.98 (0.86–1.13) |
1.21 (1.05–1.39)
|
Lack of healthy options |
0.71 (0.60–0.83)
g
|
1.67 (1.24–2.23)
a, c
| 0.87 (0.77–1.04) | 1.06 (0.91–1.24)b, g
|
Unappealing foods |
0.65 (0.56–0.76)
|
2.07 (1.54–2.77)
e
| 1.01 (0.88–1.17)e
|
1.48 (1.28–1.72)
|