The relationship between food attitudes and local food consumption motivation: The case of Eskişehir

Neophobia is a persistent and abnormal fear of new situations. It typically arises when trying new things or stepping outside of routine. It is most commonly encountered as food neophobia. Individuals experiencing food neophobia feel a constant and abnormal fear towards new situations. As a result, they struggle with engaging in typical eating experiences in their daily lives. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between the concept of food attitudes related to local food consumption and the motivation for consuming local food among people living in Eskişehir. The lack of recent studies on food attitudes and motivation for local food consumption highlights a gap in the literature that this study seeks to address. Within the scope of the study, the relationship between food neophobia and local food consumption motivation among the local population living in Eskişehir was investigated. A survey was conducted with 388 residents of Eskişehir, and the results were analyzed using the SPSS 30.0 program. Regression and correlation tests were applied to certain dimensions deemed necessary in order to make the results more comprehensible, and the results were examined within the framework of scientific analysis principles. It is believed that the analysis results will contribute to uncovering the relationship between food neophobia and motivation for local food consumption. As a result of the analyses, the fear of trying new local foods among residents of Eskişehir has been thoroughly examined. The relationship between food attitudes and motivation for local food consumption has also been determined based on the analyses. Keywords: Consumption, Local Food, Motivation, Neophobia