ADULTS' BEHAVIOURS IN FOOD PREFERENCES, PERCEIVED STRESS SITUATIONS, AND INFLUENCING FACTORS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Year 2022, Volume: 3 Issue: 3, 255 - 260, 31.12.2022

Gokce Cakmak Kafadar , Yeliz Mercan

https://doi.org/10.52831/kjhs.1144740

Abstract

Objective: It was aimed to examinethe behaviours of adults in food preferences and to determine the factors affecting the perceived stress situations of adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Method: This descriptive study was conducted as an e-survey in Turkeywith 372 adultsaged 40-64 years after the second closure. Perceived Stress Scale and survey with descriptive questions was used in the study.
Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, 59.1% of the group did not shop for food with any orders. In this process, the most preferred foods are eggs (86.3%), meat and meat products (85.8%), milk and dairy products (85.5%), fresh vegetables (84.4%) and fresh fruit (83.3%).58.9% of the participants do not want to shop in crowded places such as markets and bazaars. It was determined that 79.6% of them were worried about the increase in food prices, 78.8% of them bought food in panic, and 90.1% of them stocked up on food. The most stocked foods during the COVID-19 pandemic were legumes (58.9%) and cereals (52.2%). 38.7% of the participants stated that the concern about adequate food availability and 27.7% of them stated that the concern about food safety has increased. It was determined that the PSS total score averages of the participants who made panic purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic (p=0.018) and who had increased food safety concerns (p=0.000) were higher. Participants with increased awareness of food waste (p=0.003), food preparation behaviour at home (p=0.024), concern for adequate food availability (p=0.034) and food safety concerns (p=0.000) had low insufficient self-efficacy sub-dimension mean scores. Duringthe COVID-19 pandemic process, the stress/discomfort sub-dimension score averages of the participants who shopped both on-site and on order (p=0.015), showed panicky buying behaviour (p=0.000), had increased ordering behaviour via the internet (p=0.002), had increased awareness of food waste (p=0.000), had increased food preparation behaviour at home (p=0.000), was worried about adequate food availability (p=0.000), and had food safety concerns (p=0.000) were found to be high.
Conclusion: Examining the behaviour of food consumers in extraordinary situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic is essential both in terms of health and social aspects and will facilitate the planning of food and economic policies.

Keywords

Food Selection, Consumer Preference, Consumer Behaviour, Psychological Stress

COVID-19 PANDEMİSİNDE YETİŞKİNLERİN GIDA TERCİHLERİNDEKİ DAVRANIŞLARI, ALGILANAN STRES DURUMLARI VE ETKİLEYEN FAKTÖRLER

Abstract

Amaç: COVID-19 pandemisinde yetişkinlerin gıda tercihlerindeki davranışları incelemek ve algıladıkları stres durumlarını etkileyen faktörleri saptamak amaçlandı.
Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı tipteki bu araştırma ikinci kapanma sonrasında 40-64 yaş arası 372 yetişkin ile Türkiye’de e-survey olarak gerçekleştirildi. Çalışmada Algılanan Stres Ölçeği (ASÖ) ve tanımlayıcı form kullanıldı.
Bulgular: COVID-19 pandemi sürecinde grubun %59.1’i hiç sipariş ile gıda alışverişi yapmamıştı. Bu süreçte en fazla tercih edilen gıdalar yumurta (%86.3), et ve et ürünleri (%85.8), süt ve süt ürünleri (%85.5), taze sebze (%84.4) ve taze meyveydi (%83.3). Katılımcıların %58.9’unun market, pazar gibi kalabalık yerlerde alışveriş yapmak istemediği, %79.6’sının gıda fiyatlarının artmasından endişe ettiği, %78.8’inin panikle gıda satın aldığı, %90.1’inin yiyecek stokladığı belirlendi. COVID-19 pandemi sürecinde en fazla stoklanan gıdalar kuru baklagiller (%58.9) ve tahıllardı (%52.2). Katılımcıların %38.7’si yeterli gıda bulunabilirliği endişesinin ve %27.7’si gıda güvenliği endişesinin arttığını belirtti. COVID-19 pandemi sürecinde panikle satın alma yapan (p=0.018) ve gıda güvenliği endişesi artan (p=0.000) katılımcıların ASÖ toplam puan ortalamalarının daha yüksek olduğu saptandı. Gıda israfı farkındalığı (p=0.003), evde yemek hazırlama davranışı (p=0.024), yeterli gıda bulunabilirliği endişesi (p=0.034) ve gıda güvenliği endişesi (p=0.000) artan katılımcıların yetersiz özyeterlilik alt boyut puan ortalamaları düşük saptandı. COVID-19 pandemi sürecinde hem kendisi hem de sipariş ile alışveriş yapan (p=0.015), panikle satın alma davranışı gösteren (p=0.000), internet aracılığı ile sipariş yapma davranışı artan (p=0.002), gıda israfı farkındalığı artan (p=0.000), evde yemek hazırlama davranışı artan (p=0.000), yeterli gıda bulunabilirliği endişesi yaşayan (p=0.000) ve gıda güvenliği endişesi yaşayan (p=0.000) katılımcıların stres/rahatsızlık alt boyut puan ortalamaları yüksekti.
Sonuç: COVID-19 pandemisi gibi olağan dışı durumlarda gıda tüketicilerinin davranışlarının incelenmesi hem sağlık hem de sosyal boyutuyla önem taşımakta olup, gıda ve ekonomi politikalarının planlanmasını daha kolaylaştıracaktır.

Keywords

COVID-19, Gıda Seçimi, Tüketici Tercihi, Tüketici Davranışı, Psikolojik Stres

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