Relationship between Determinants of Food Choices and Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors of Individuals with Hepatitis B and C in the Amazon Region

Abstract

Knowing the determinants of food choices allows the nutritionist to develop more assertive guidelines considering biopsychosocial factors to produce effective changes in eating practices. This cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study aimed to test the correlation between the determinants of food choices and the socioeconomic and demographic factors of individuals with hepatitis B and C. Patients with hepatitis B and/or C aged between 20 and 74 years were evaluated from August 2020 to August 2021. Their socioeconomic and demographic data and clinical data were collected, and The Eating Motivation Survey (TEMS) was applied. A total of 145 individuals were evaluated, with a mean age of 53.54 ± 12.14 years. There were positive weak correlations between gender (p2 = 0.193; p = 0.020) and age (p2 = 0.177; p = 0.033) with the scale “preference”; negative correlations between age and the scales “price” (p2 = −0.204; p = 0.014) and “emotion control” (p2 = −0.168; p = 0.044); negative correlations between education and the scales “convenience” (p2 = −0.172; p = 0.039) and “social norms” (p2 = −0.206; p = 0.013); and income showed a negative correlation with “price” (p2 = −0.208; p = 0.012) and a positive correlation with “weight control” (p2 = 0.186; p = 0.025). These findings contribute to the development of more realistic and feasible eating strategies that favor food autonomy.