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Eating Out: Habits, Determinants and Recommendations for Consumers and the European Catering Sector

Objective

Current lifestyle and sociodemographic developments have lead to an increase in eating out in Europe. The frequency and nature of the out-of-home dietary intake may posit risks for developing nutrition-related disorders and chronic diseases. However, the information on the out-of-home dietary intake of European populations is limited. The aim of the HECTOR project is to establish a platform for collaboration between the scientific community, consumer associations, and 13 catering-related enterprises, including 7 SMEs, so as to analyze practices of European catering enterprises and assess food types and quantities provided (food supply) and to understand the characteristics and determinants of out-of-home dietary patterns (food demand). In the HECTOR project individual-based food consumption data collected in 15 European countries will be analysed in order to: (1) evaluate the prevalence of out-of-home food consumption; (2) identify out-of-home dietary patterns, including meals, foods, and nutrients; (3) compare dietary intake within- and out-of-home, at national and regional levels, when possible; (4) evaluate the effect of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and anthropometric determinants on food choices when eating out; (5) compare the out-of-home dietary intake with national and international recommendations and estimate, through an innovative approach, optimal out-of-home dietary patterns. The findings after the evaluation of both food supply and demand will be translated to a common strategic action plan for enhancing the quality and safety of out-of-home food choices of the European consumers. The action plan will be pilot tested in the SMEs of the Consortium to evaluate its effectiveness. Moreover, the project aims to exploit the use of data on out-of-home food expenditures, regularly collected through the national household budget surveys, so as to develop a methodological framework which could conceptually allow monitor out-of-home food choices in Europe.

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Call for proposal

FP6-2004-FOOD-3-B
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Funding Scheme

CA - Coordination action

Coordinator

NATIONAL AND KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
EU contribution
No data
Address
6 Chr. Lada Str.
ATHENS
Greece

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Last update: 26 March 2013

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/23043

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