Society and food decision in Spain

ABSTRACT

Introduction: We are currently living in a time of important changes in society, accentuated by the current Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent effects. To all this must be added the possible consequences of a growing food-nutritional vulnerability associated with economic crisis. Other sociocultural factors include the influence of other people on food choices, knowledge and perception of food and nutrition, educational level, advertising and marketing, and social status. Objectives: To know the impact of lifestyles through their social and economic determinants, on food agency, to follow up on them, as well as on the knowledge and perception on food sustainability. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of adults (>18 years old) living in Spain (except Ceuta and Melilla), following previous surveys in 2015 and 2017. The survey was administered via computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) a total of 1921 respondents (945 women and 976 men) participated. Results: The majority of the population ate the three main meals, although has decreased. In 2022, time spent at each meal has grown, and more time spent on weekends. Eating alone is increasing whereas people who eat sitting down and conversing with someone is decreasing. Teleworking has impacted several aspects such as with whom, how people eat or even what is eaten. The majority of the population cooks (more comparatively with previous surveys), but mainly women. Of concern, for over 35%, their economic situation has worsened after the pandemic, modifying their food decision. Finally, sustainability is still considered of medium importance and willingness to pay more for sustainable food is low/moderate. Conclusions: The results show important changes in the social aspects of food, accentuated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis.