Providing Personalised Nutrition: Consumers’ Trust and Preferences Regarding Sources of Information, Service Providers and Regulators, and Communication Channels

• Published in: Public health genomics 2017-01, Vol.20 (4), p.218-228
• Main Authors: Poínhos, Rui, Oliveira, Bruno M.P.M., van der Lans, Ivo A., Fischer, Arnout R.H., Berezowska, Aleksandra, Rankin, Audrey, Kuznesof, Sharron, Stewart-Knox, Barbara, Frewer, Lynn J., de Almeida, Maria D.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Communication; Consumers; Diet - psychology; European Union; Female; Food4me; Genomics; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Intention; Internet - utilization; Male; Middle Aged; National Health Programs; Nutrition Assessment; Original Paper; Patient Satisfaction - statistics & numerical data; Personalised nutrition; Preferences; Public Health; Regulators; Service providers; Surveys and Questionnaires; Trust; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1662-4246; 1662-8063
• DOI: 10.1159/000481357

Background/Aims: Personalised nutrition has potential to revolutionise dietary health promotion if accepted by the general public. We studied trust and preferences regarding personalised nutrition services, how they influence intention to adopt these services, and cultural and social differences therein. Methods: A total of 9,381 participants were quota-sampled to be representative of each of 9 EU countries (Germany, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, the UK, and Norway) and surveyed by a questionnaire assessing their intention to adopt personalised nutrition, trust in service regulators and information sources, and preferences for service providers and information channels. Results: Trust and preferences significantly predicted intention to adopt personalised nutrition. Higher trust in the local department of health care was associated with lower intention to adopt personalised nutrition. General practitioners were the most trusted of service regulators, except in Portugal, where consumer organisations and universities were most trusted. In all countries, family doctors were the most trusted information providers. Trust in the National Health Service as service regulator and information source showed high variability across countries. Despite its highest variability across countries, personal meeting was the preferred communication channel, except in Spain, where an automated internet service was preferred. General practitioners were the preferred service providers, except in Poland, where dietitians and nutritionists were preferred. The preference for dietitians and nutritionists as service providers highly varied across countries. Conclusion: These results may assist in informing local initiatives to encourage acceptance and adoption of country-specific tailored personalised nutrition services, therefore benefiting individual and public health.