Determination of academicians' approaches to new foods and investigation of affecting factors

The approach to new foods may differ in individuals. Different levels of avoidance from unknown foods that have not been tasted before are defined as food neophobia. It is also known that the fear of new food has positive and negative effects on healthy nutrition in the approach to new foods. This study was planned to evaluate academicians' approaches to new foods and to examine the factors that may affect their approach to new foods and to evaluate the relationship of many factors that affect food neophobia. The study was conducted between September 2019 - January 2020 at Başkent University Bağlıca Campus, on a total of 236 adult academicians, including 173 female and 63 male volunteers from academic staff of different faculties and departments. Questionnaire form to determine the information about the personal characteristics and nutritional habits of individuals, food neophobia scale (FNS) was applied in order to determine food neophobias, and a new food approach scale was used to determine the traditional and innovative dimension of individuals' approaches to new foods. In this study; the mean age of individuals was 37.9 ± 11.03 years in women and 40.8 ± 4.76 years in men. The mean score of food neophobia (FNS) of individuals was 32.7 ± 12.26 and it was found to be close to each other in women and men (p> 0.05). The food neophobia of individuals who went abroad was found to be lower than those who did not go abroad (p<0.05). Food neophobia of individuals who chose food abroad was found higher than those who did not choose food abroad (p <0.001). The mean score of individuals on the scale of approach to new foods was determined as 3.7 ± 0.48. Individuals received an mean of 3.4 ± 0.51 points from the traditional sub-dimension ; on the other hand, they received an mean of 3.8 ± 0.74 points from their innovative sub-dimension of the scale. The traditional sub-dimension mean scores of women are higher than the men (p <0.05). The traditional sub-dimension mean scores of married individuals are higher than single individuals (p <0.05). The traditional sub-dimension scores of individuals who chose food abroad were found higher than those who did not choose food abroad (p <0.001). The innovative score of individuals who chose food abroad was lower than those who did not choose food abroad (p <0.05). The majority of academics are present in the new food fear scale, neutral. When the scales of new food and approach to new foods are examined, it should be seen that the two scales support each other (p<0.001). As a result, food neophobia can be effective in approaching new foods. Various factors can affect individuals' food neophobia. The reason of individuals' food neophobia should be examined in detail, approaches and solutions should be made appropriately. There are very few studies examining the approach to new foods and food neophobia. This study is important because it is the first study that compares the food neophobia scale and the approach to new foods and examines the approach of academics to new foods, and more studies are needed on this subject. Keywords: food neophobia, approach to new foods, academician, nutrition