Will expanding organic consumption lead to healthier eating patterns? (ORGHEALTH)

2016

International and Danish studies have shown that consumers with large budget shares of organic food tend to follow the official dietary guidelines more closely than other consumers and therefore have on average a healthier diet.

These findings are very important. They appear to show that, whether or not organic products are intrinsically healthier foods than their conventional counterparts, there is a positive correlation between organic consumption and a dietary intake conforming with official dietary guidelines. However, the causal relations at work here are not yet understood. This means that it is unclear at present whether a positive effect on public health would follow if the general level of consumption of organic food were to increase. This project focuses on the role of organic consumption in improving food-related health. Its overall goal is to investigate the extent to which wider consumption of organic foods would lead to a general increase in consumers’ observance of dietary guidelines in Denmark. The project seeks to provide a deeper understanding of why organic consumers are more likely to follow the dietary advice, of how this positive correlation varies across different consumer segments, and of the roles that differing perceptions of health play in relation to organic food choices. In achieving these goals, the project will enable us to evaluate the potential of organic consumption to improve public health through dietary change.

Udfører/hovedansøger Københavns Universitet
Øvrige samarbejdspartnere Københavns Universitet
Projektets samlede budget DKK 1.972.935,00
Bevillingsstørrelse tildelt DKK 1.674.999,00