Evaluation of the relationship between food choices and body mass indexes of consumers

The aim of this study was to determine the underlying motivations of food choices in normal weight and overweight/ obese women who are employed in a university. In order to achieve this aim, food choice motivations were compared between the groups. Volunteer individuals were divided into two groups according to their body mass index (BMI) as normal weight or overweight/ obese in the beginning of the study. Then astudy questionnaire which contained sociodemographic characteristics, nutritional status, physical activity status, food label reading habits and nutritional education status of the individuals was carried out. The study was conducted on 100 volunteer women whose ages were changing between 18 to 65 years old. 24 hours' food and physical activity history was recorded as well as height-weight measurements. A 36-item Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ),to which validity and reliability had confirmed, was used to determine the motivations for food choices. As a result, natural content, sensory appeal and health are the important motivational food choice factors for all participants.Price was the least important factor in food choice. When we analyzed into groups, sensory appeal, natural content and health were the most important motivational factors for normal weight women in food choices. For overweight/obese women it was natural content, sensory appeal and health were the most important factors. Natural content, weight control, health and ethical concern scores were significantly higher in overweight/ obese women than normal weight women(P<0,05). There were also statistically significant differences in physical activity status and nutritional status between BMI groups (P<0,05). In conclusion, food choice is a multifactorial and complex process and according to our results, some of the subgroups' of FCQ is influenced by BMI.