Overweightness and obesity rates have increased dramatically over the past few decades and they represent a health epidemic in the United States (US). Unhealthy dietary habits are among the factors that can have adverse effects on weight status in young adulthood. The purpose of this explorative study was to use a qualitative research design to analyze the factors (barriers and enablers) that US college students perceived as influencing healthy eating behaviors. A group of Cornell University students (n = 35) participated in six semi-structured focus groups. A qualitative software, CAQDAS Nvivo11 Plus, was used to create codes that categorized the group discussions while using an Ecological Model. Common barriers to healthy eating were time constraints, unhealthy snacking, convenience high-calorie food, stress, high prices of healthy food, and easy access to junk food. Conversely, enablers to healthy behavior were improved food knowledge and education, meal planning, involvement in food preparation, and being physically active. Parental food behavior and friends’ social pressure were considered to have both positive and negative influences on individual eating habits. The study highlighted the importance of consulting college students when developing healthy eating interventions across the campus (e.g., labeling healthy food options and information campaigns) and considering individual-level factors and socio-ecological aspects in the analysis.

Food value chains (FVCs) comprise all activities required to bring farm products to consumers, including agricultural production, processing, storage, marketing, distribution, and consumption. FVCs are changing rapidly in developing countries (DCs), because of population and income growth; urbanization; and the expansion, globally and domestically, of modern food retailing, distribution, and wholesaling firms (1, 2). One such change is that consumers and regulators increasingly demand product-specific characteristics beyond price—including nutrient content; food safety certification; and indicators of impacts on natural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and farmworkers. To accommodate these multidimensional demands, regulators and firms are developing new multiattribute product labeling and production standards. We outline below ways in which scientists must integrate existing disciplinary evidence into rigorous models and must develop measures and methods to evaluate the multidimensional performance of FVCs.

Edible insects are often considered a healthier and more sustainable meat substitute and protein source. Many studies have examined factors affecting the consumption behavior towards edible insects among Western consumers. However, little is known about factors influencing consumer behavior towards edible insects in Asian countries even though Asians have a long history of consuming insects. In this study, we surveyed 614 Chinese consumers from Beijing and Nanjing to examine the factors influencing their consumption and purchase behavior of edible insects. We find that insect phobia, feelings of disgust, knowledge level, and social demographic factors such as age, household size, household income and region (Northern or Southern China) are the main factors influencing purchase decisions. In addition, the results indicate that the perceived positive attributes associated with edible insects, the preferences of children in the household, as well as age and knowledge level have positive impacts on consumption frequency. On the other hand, concerns of food safety and the shape of the insects have negative impacts on consumption frequency. Finally, the results suggest that educating consumers to increase knowledge of edible insects increases their probability to purchase insect foods.

Three years of field trials have been carried out in Zaragoza, Spain, using different biodegradable mulch materials in processing tomatoes. The aim was to evaluate weed control with several biodegradable mulches as alternatives to black polyethylene (PE) mulch. The treatments were rice straw, barley straw, maize harvest residue, absinth wormwood plants, black biodegradable plastic, brown kraft paper, PE, herbicide, manual weeding, and unweeded control. Assessments focused on weeds and on crop yield. A laboratory study showed that 1 kg/m²of organic mulch was sufficient to cover the soil for rice, barley straw, and maize harvest residue. The most abundant weed species in the field were purple nutsedge, common purslane, common lambsquarters, and large crabgrass and a change in weed composition was observed between treatments and years. Most weed species were controlled by the mulching materials except that purple nutsedge was controlled only by paper mulch. The other species were well controlled by PE and biodegradable plastic and also by some of the organic mulch treatments. Best weed control and lowest weed biomass were achieved by paper followed by PE and biodegradable plastic. The best organic mulch was rice straw and the worst weed control was from absinth wormwood. Tomato yield was highest for PE followed by paper, manual weeding, biodegradable plastic, and rice straw and was clearly related to weed control. Paper, biodegradable plastic, and rice straw are potential substitutes for PE and herbicides.