Motives and values that guide food choices: Implications of food craving among Brazilian university graduates (the CUME+ study)

Food choices are guided by a set of interconnected motives and values that transcend biological needs and can directly influence the manifestation of food cravings. Thus, we evaluated the association between motives and values that guide food choices and cravings in Brazilian adults. A multicenter cross-sectional study using data from the Minas Gerais University Cohort (CUME+ Study). The motives and values for food choices were measured using the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ), and food cravings were measured using the Brazilian Food Craving Inventory (FCI-Br). Associations were investigated using adjusted linear regressions. Of the 549 participants, 76.1% were women, 70.6% were under 40 years of age, and 67.4% self-identified as white. Food choice motives related to mood, convenience, sensory appeal, price, and familiarity were positively associated with cravings for high-fat and sweet foods, while health and natural content factors showed a negative association. Positive associations with mood, sensory appeal, price, weight control, and familiarity were associated with greater cravings for traditional foods. The findings show that food cravings do not emerge in isolation from everyday motivations and values, but are permeated by rational, emotional, practical, and cultural dimensions.