Exploring the willingness of young Portuguese adults to adopt healthy eating habits inspired by the Japanese diet

Abstract

The increase in poor dietary habits and the rise in the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are major public health concerns, food choices, impact health and sustainability, making dietary behavior a focus for researchers and policymakers. Among the various dietary models, the Japanese diet is recognized for its benefits, constituted of fiber-rich foods, fermented products and very low in ultra-processed foods. However, there has been very little research exploring young Portuguese adults' willingness to adopt these habits. This study examines factors influencing the adoption of Japanese diet-inspired habits by this demographic. Statistical analysis shows that health awareness predicts dietary transitions, with individuals who prioritize diet being more likely to adopt healthier eating patterns, while initial correlations suggested associations between gender, BMI, and dietary willingness, these were not statistically significant in the regression model, indicating potential mediating factors. A greater willingness to increase fiber intake and access healthier vending machine options was correlated with dietary change, whereas a preference for refined carbohydrates and processed meats showed a marginally significant negative association. These findings suggest that structural interventions, such as improving access to healthy food options, could promote healthier choices, and that marketing strategies should highlight fiber rich and fermented foods within familiar cultural food contexts, while public policies should enhance food accessibility. Despite its contributions, this study is limited by self-reported data and a cross-sectional design, that prevents causal inferences, future research, should adopt longitudinal designs, qualitative approaches, and experimental interventions to assess real world dietary adoption.

Date of Award	2 May 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ana Isabel de Almeida Costa (Supervisor)