Samenvatting

Overweight and obesity are some of the biggest food-related problems in the world and affect more than 2 billion people worldwide. One of the factors of this problem is the change in the Dutch food environment. Food is getting more processed, and the amount of fat and sugary food is growing while their prices are declining, which makes them more available. One factor that could influence this problem is eating rate. Previous studies showed that a higher eating rate can result in a higher overall energy intake where a change in eating rate of 20% can impact energy intake by between 10% and 13%. It is not clear if the consumer is aware of this, and what their knowledge is on food processing and properties. To get a better picture, the following central question is: ‘What is the current consumer knowledge, attitude and opinion on food properties (processing and texture), how does this relate to eating (eating rate) and health (satiation and calorie-intake), and what are the consumer wants and needs concerning communication on these subjects?’. The consumer seems to have a basic understanding of food processing, food texture, eating rate, satiation, and calorie intake. They are leaning towards a more negative opinion on it, because of distrust and misinformation from the food industry. Consumers should be given clear and understandable information from trusted sources. The most important subsequent recommendations are to repeat the focus group, so that the research results are more reliable and meet the requirements to publish, doing more research about the way the consumer wants to be addressed, and what kind of design/speaking style appeals to the consumer concerning communication about nutrition and health.