Investigating the Motivational and Influencing Factors on Choosing Food Items by Citizens of Tabriz, Iran

Background: Due to the prevalence of nutrition-related diseases, choosing the right food items for various age groups is necessary in modern societies. Those aspects related to characteristics, society, and culture are the main motivations for food choices. Understanding the determinants of food choices can help policymakers design better strategies to promote healthy food choices in the public. This study aimed to find appropriate nutritional factors and understand the motivation for food choices. We also investigated the factors affecting the purchase and consumption of food items among citizens of Tabriz, Iran. Methods In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 209 valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaires were randomly distributed among volunteer citizens of Tabriz. The obtained information was analyzed in various fields, such as nutritional information, food health, price, weight control, appearance and taste, natural ingredients, ease of cooking, ease of access, and popularity of the manufacturing plant. Results According to the demographic findings, most participants were female (61%). The average age of the participants was 36.53 ± 7 years, and most were married. The educational level of 60% of the individuals was above the master's degree, and the income of 32.5% was reported as 20–40 million IRR. Price, health, and ease of cooking were the strongest determining factors for food choices, and the feeling of cheerfulness was the least influential factor. Also, there was a significant relationship between “nutrition and health information with different education levels”, “information and weight control with different occupational groups”, and “information and price with participant's income”. Conclusion The researcher-made questionnaire used in this study had high validity. So, it can be used to determine the motivational and influencing factors in choosing food items in Iran.