Food choice, activity level, and carbon footprint: Insights and implications for sustainable food consumption practices in young adults

SND-ID: 2024-413. Version: 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5878/89xb-ke36

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Associated documentation

Information till forskningsperson.docx (43.73 KB)

Instruktioner kostdagbok DLW.docx (475.7 KB)

Intervjufrågor MEDAL.docx (17.37 KB)

Variabel beskrivning.xlsx (10.69 KB)

Citation

Creator/Principal investigator(s)

Mari Wollmar - University of Gothenburg, Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science

Anna Post - University of Gothenburg, Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science

Agneta Sjöberg - University of Gothenburg, Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science

Research principal

University of Gothenburg - Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science

Description

This study employed a mixed-method approach combining interviews and data from the Measuring Energy Expenditure and Dietary Intake at Different Activity Levels (MEDAL) project. A seven-day food record provided detailed insights into participants' food intake, focusing on protein sources and carbon footprint (CO2e). Participants, aged 18-40, were recruited from Gothenburg University and local sports clubs between October 2020 and April 2021. They were divided into two groups based on their physical activity levels, following WHO guidelines.

Data collection included semi-structured interviews and a seven-day food record using the Nutrition Data online tool. Resting energy expenditure was measured using indirect calorimetry. The interviews explored food shopping habits, dietary preferences, and climate impact considerations without directly informing participants of the climate focus to avoid bias.

Quantitative data were analyzed with statistical tests, while qualitative insights were triangulated with food records to assess climate-conscious and sustainable food consumption practices. The anal

Data contains personal data

Yes

Sensitive personal data

Yes

Type of personal data

Pseudonymized health data

Code key exists

Yes

Language

Swedish

Method and outcome

Unit of analysis

Group

Individual/Patient

Population

The population is women and men aged 18-40 with different activity levels recruited in the Gothenburg area.

Time Method

Cross-section

Study design

Observational study

Description of study design

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a seven-day food record. All participants were interviewed in connection with completing the food record. Compliant with the aim, the interviews focused on elements related to the carbon footprint of food. An interview guide provided structure, but the questions were open-ended, offering flexibility and undirected answers. The interviews were transcribed verbatim.

The interview protocol was designed to explore participants’ food choices, focusing on the coordination of activities, the stability and repetition of behaviors, the influence of contextual factors, and the dynamic nature of their practices.

Each participant performed a seven-day weighed food record using the online tool Nutrition Data (Nutrition Data Sweden AB, Norsjö., Sweden) version 20.11.11. Each participant was offered a portable scale for weighing food. Participants were encouraged to upload pictures in the Nutrition Data app to clarify their intake. The messaging function was used to send standardised encouraging messages on days three and six to increase compliance. To assess the accuracy of the reported energy intake, it was divided by RMR, and values below 1.2 are considered low energy intake (Black 2000).

Further, the RISE climate database (Florén, Amani, and Davis 2017) in DietistNet (Kost och Näringsdata, 2020) version 1.6 was used to assess CO2e. Finally, protein sources were divided into animal- or plant-based by manually evaluating the food records.

Sampling procedure

Non-probability

Inclusion criteria :
• Women (50%)and men (50%) 18 – 40 year of age

• The participant has ability to be compliant to the study protocol with regards to general health.

• High active group at least 300 min of VPA

• Low to medium active group no more than 150 min of VPA

• Signed written informed consent

Exclusion criteria :
• Female patients who are pregnant, lactating or have a desire to become pregnant during the study

• Conditions that might affect BMR such as untreated or poorly controlled hypo- or hyperthyroidism

• Other conditions that are hard to control for like poorly controlled diabetes, unstable heart disease, heart failure, recent stroke/TIA or other similar complications.

• Recent Covid-19 infection or suffering from post-covid symtoms

• Artificial joints or metal elements in their body or wearing a pacemaker.

• Not considered suitable if during assessment judged unable to comply to the study protocol.

Time period(s) investigated

2021-09-01 – 2022-04-30

Variables

Number of individuals/objects

Data format / data structure

Numeric

Text

Data collection

Mode of collection: Measurements and tests
Description of the mode of collection: Dietary intake was measured over seven days using a digital food reccord
Time period(s) for data collection: 2021-09-01 – 2022-04-30
Sample size: 50
Number of responses: 47
Non response size: 3
Cause of non response - Respondent unable to participate: 3

Geographic coverage

Geographic spread

Geographic location: Västra Götaland County, Göteborg Municipality

Geographic description: Swedish metropolitan area. The participants mainly came from Gothenburg and nearby municipalities, and they needed to be able to come to the lab in central Gothenburg for repeated measurements.

Lowest geographic unit

County (NUTS 3)

Highest geographic unit

County (NUTS 3)

Administrative information

Responsible department/unit

Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science

Contributor(s)

Agneta Sjöberg - University of Gothenburg, Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science

Anna Post - University of Gothenburg, Department of Food and Nutrition and Sport Science

Ethics Review

Gothenburg - Ref. 2019-05316

Topic and keywords

Research area

Climate research (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Nutrition and dietetics (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Social sciences interdisciplinary (Standard för svensk indelning av forskningsämnen 2011)

Diet and nutrition (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Social behaviour and attitudes (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Keywords

Adult, Nutrition surveys, Climate change, Nutrients, Food and nutrition

Publications

Sort by name | Sort by year

Kristiansson, E., Fridolfsson, J., Arvidsson, D., Holmäng, A., Börjesson, M., & Andersson Hall, U. (n.d.). Validation of Oura ring energy expenditure and steps in laboratory and free-living. In BMC Medical Research Methodology (No. 50; Vol. 23).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-023-01868-x
SwePub: oai:gup.ub.gu.se/325083

Holm, I., Fridolfsson, J., Börjesson, M., & Arvidsson, D. (2023). Fourteen days free-living evaluation of an open-source algorithm for counting steps in healthy adults with a large variation in physical activity level. In BMC biomedical engineering (No. 3; Vol. 5).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s42490-023-00071-9
SwePub: oai:gup.ub.gu.se/325572

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