Papers by Ana Paula Cardoso
Sustainability, 2021
This work intended to explore some motivations that influence people’s eating habits towards sust... more This work intended to explore some motivations that influence people’s eating habits towards sustainability. This was an observational, cross-sectional study, carried out by questionnaire survey on a non-probabilistic sample of 10,067 participants from 13 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania and United States). Results indicated that people prefer fresh local foods from the season, being important because it allows transportation and storage to be reduced, which in many cases implies refrigeration systems and consequent energy expenditure. Although people avoid food waste at home, the awareness for the waste at restaurants still needs to be improved. Consumers seem to prefer foods that have been produced and packed in sustainable ways but still give importance to the package—understandable for food products. The results also indicated significant differences in the food choice motivations between group...
Foods, 2020
Many aspects linked to personal characteristics, society and culture constitute some of the motiv... more Many aspects linked to personal characteristics, society and culture constitute some of the motivators that drive food choice. The aim of this work was to determine in what extent the eating behaviors of individuals are shaped by six different types of determinants, namely: health, emotions, price and availability, society and culture, environment and politics, and marketing and commercials. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, involving a non-probabilistic sample of 11,960 participants from 16 countries. The objective of this work was to validate the questionnaire, so as to make it suitable for application in different contexts and different countries. For that, six scales were considered for validation by confirmatory factor analysis with structural equation modelling. The obtained results showed that the six individual scales evaluated presented good or very good fitting indices, with saturation in goodness-of-fit index in all cases. The values of chi-square ratio were 6....
EUREKA: Social and Humanities, 2019
Food choices are influenced by many factors, such as emotional. When people eat, driven by emotio... more Food choices are influenced by many factors, such as emotional. When people eat, driven by emotional factors, they often lose control, which may lead to eating disorders. Therefore, this work aimed at studying the influence that emotional determinants had on people's food choices. It was undertaken a descriptive cross-sectional study by means of a questionnaire on a non-probabilistic sample of 1314 participants. The data was collected among a sample of the Portuguese population and measured if people´s food choices were influenced by emotional determinants. The results revealed that the participants' food choices were, in general, slightly influenced by emotional determinants (mean scores between -0.5 and 0.5, on a scale from -2 to +2). There were found significant differences in all of the variables under study. The participants, who already experienced an episode of binge-eating, were the ones that obtained the highest mean score (0.63±0.79), meaning that in this case those participants' food choices were influenced by emotional determinants. These results support the premise that emotional determinants are influenced by the characteristics of each individual and also the existence of a positive association between emotional eating and the presence of eating disorders, especially, binge-eating.
O presente Manual inscreve-se no quadro de uma pedagogia que considera a iniciação à investigação... more O presente Manual inscreve-se no quadro de uma pedagogia que considera a iniciação à investigação como um elemento fundamental do processo de ensino/aprendizagem, determinante para a motivação dos alunos e, ao mesmo tempo, garantia da renovação do saber e da descoberta de respostas para os desafios e interrogações do futuro. Podemos apontar como intenção primeira, suscitar no leitor uma compreensão efectiva da natureza, objectivos, métodos e resultados da investigação qualitativa, mediante informação suficiente, rigorosa, actualizada e crítica. Nesse sentido não deixamos de colocar o leitor, ainda que de modo breve e introdutório, perante os fundamentos epistemológicos que subjazem a uma opção pela investigação qualitativa. E uma vez que a nossa proposta se dirige, muito em especial, à investigação do fenómeno educativo, quisemos partir, também, de uma visão complexa desse mesmo fenómeno. Enfim, apostámos na construção de um texto que ajude os seus leitores a empenharem-se num processo investigativo de natureza qualitativa, através do desenho de um plano de investigação adequado ao problema formulado (em termos de estratégia geral, de técnicas de recolha e de análise de dados), e que patenteie preocupação pela validação da mesma e pelos aspetos éticos em jogo.
Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 2020
A INVESTIGAÇÃO QUANTITATIVA: DA CLÁSSICA DICOTOMIA QUANTITATIVO-QUALITATIVO À COMPLEMENTARIDADE M... more A INVESTIGAÇÃO QUANTITATIVA: DA CLÁSSICA DICOTOMIA QUANTITATIVO-QUALITATIVO À COMPLEMENTARIDADE METODOLÓGICA A complexidade do mundo que nos rodeia constitui um dos maiores desafios que o ser humano enfrenta nos dias de hoje e, por isso, a compreensão dos fenómenos deve basear-se em informação atualizada e fidedigna, atributos inerentes ao conhecimento científico. Este expressa-se em forma de leis, modelos e teorias, cuja função principal é a de integrar os dados existentes, obtidos através de um processo de investigação rigoroso, sistemático e controlado, que permite a obtenção de um saber replicável e apoiado na evidência científica. Os termos quantitativo e qualitativo são usados frequentemente para identificar diferentes abordagens de investigação no âmbito das Ciências Sociais. A distinção mais óbvia reside na forma de apresentação dos dados. A investigação quantitativa apresenta resultados estatísticos em termos numéricos, enquanto que a investigação qualitativa apresenta dados de uma forma mais descritiva. No entanto, as distinções ultrapassam esta simples constatação. Especialistas neste domínio, como é o caso de McMillan e Schumacher (2001), referem diferenças mais profundas que se prendem com a visão do mundo, o propósito da investigação, os métodos utilizados, o papel do investigador e a importância do contexto no estudo. O paradigma quantitativo, herdeiro das ciências físico-naturais, baseia-se no que os autores apelidaram de filosofia "lógicopositivista", que admite a existência de uma única realidade social, independente e externa ao investigador, que pode ser descrita com objetividade, tal como se apresenta, como qualquer fenómeno natural. Este paradigma, de cariz positivista, privilegia as observações empíricas quantificáveis, as medições efetuadas através de instrumentos de fidelidade comprovada e as análises estatísticas rigorosas, procurando as causas e a explicação dos fenómenos. O estabelecimento de generalizações universais independentes de um determinado contexto constitui uma das suas principais motivações. Preocupação central deste paradigma é a de garantir a validade interna (o rigor do plano de investigação) e a validade externa (a generalização dos resultados) da investigação, através da eliminação de um maior número de ameaças à sua validade. O esforço de minimização de possíveis erros e enviesamentos tem sido um compromisso de numerosos investigadores, ao longo de mais de um século, e isso tem contribuído para a credibilidade e afirmação da investigação quantitativa no panorama científico. Derivado das humanidades, o paradigma qualitativo funda-se numa filosofia "naturalista-fenomenológica", admitindo a existência de múltiplas realidades, construídas pelos indivíduos e abordáveis através da vivência, da convivência e empatia, como todo o fenómeno social, tal como é referido pelos autores supracitados (McMillan & Schumacher, 2001). A investigação qualitativa carateriza-se por uma abordagem naturalista e interpretativa do seu objeto de estudo e está sobretudo preocupada com a compreensão dos fenómenos socias tendo em conta a perspetiva dos participantes. O âmbito da investigação tende a ser mais circunscrito, em termos de abrangência, e mais focalizado em assuntos específicos e relacionados com a vida (local e regional) das populações. A forte ligação aos contextos da investigação qualitativa acarreta dificuldades na comparação dos dados obtidos em estudos distintos e conduzidos por diferentes investigadores e limita a sua generalização. A natureza contextual torna mais difícil a utilização de instrumentos estandardizados e das técnicas de controlo de possíveis fontes de erros, características dos estudos quantitativos (Vieira, 1999). Talvez por isso, durante muito tempo, a investigação qualitativa foi criticada pela dificuldade em estabelecer a validade dos seus estudos e em demonstrar a legitimidade das conclusões obtidas, aspeto que tem vindo, no entanto, a ser ultrapassado. Nos últimos anos do século XX e início do século XXI emergiram os Mixed Methods Research (MMR), métodos mistos de investigação, uma abordagem metodológica em que o investigador combina métodos e técnicas quantitativas e qualitativas num mesmo estudo. Trata-se de uma proposta em processo de construção e consolidação, encarada por uns como uma metodologia e por outros como um novo paradigma, uma terceira via (Dias López, 2014). Sem querer aprofundar esta questão, salientaríamos apenas que a conceção dos designs mistos de investigação vem demonstrar que há uma panóplia de recursos metodológicos à disposição dos investigadores e que esta pluralidade não deve ser encarada de forma dicotómica, mas antes complementar. O ideal será mesmo combinar a utilização da metodologia quantitativa e qualitativa num único estudo para abordar um problema em particular, na medida em que esta diversidade enriquece e complementa o conhecimento da realidade. Só a contribuição de várias metodologias é que nos poderá ajudar a compreender os diversos cambiantes de uma realidade multifacetada. Nem sempre é conveniente utilizar desenhos experimentais ou quase experimentais; nem sempre é desejável a mensuração das variáveis e o emprego de planos correlacionais. A utilização de um método ou de outro vai depender da natureza do problema a investigar e do grau de conhecimento que se tem sobre o mesmo. Nas palavras sábias de Simões (1990, p. 48), "não há, aliás, métodos perfeitos, sejam eles quantitativos ou qualitativos. O controlo absoluto das variáveis não passa de um ideal inatingível: cada método, em certos aspetos, é mais ou menos eficaz do que outros. E é em relação a um problema particular que um deles pode ser melhor do que outro".
Sustainability
Edible insects have been suggested as a more sustainable source of protein, but their consumption... more Edible insects have been suggested as a more sustainable source of protein, but their consumption varies according to geographical and sociocultural influences. Focusing on the different aspects that can influence people’s attitudes towards edible insects (EI), this work aimed to carry out the statistical validation of an instrument aimed at assessing different dimensions of this field: the KPEI (knowledge and perceptions about EI) scale. The instrument consists of 64 questions distributed by the following dimensions: Culture and Tradition, Gastronomic Innovation and Gourmet Kitchen, Environment and Sustainability, Economic and Social Aspects, Commercialization and Marketing, Nutritional Characteristics, and Health Effects. The data were collected in 13 countries (Croatia, Greece, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey). The validation of the KPEI scale was made through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equa...
Sustainability
This study aimed to investigate the level of knowledge about edible insects (EIs) in a sample of ... more This study aimed to investigate the level of knowledge about edible insects (EIs) in a sample of people from thirteen countries (Croatia, Greece, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey). Data collection was based on a questionnaire survey applied through online tools between July and November 2021. For data analysis, techniques such as factor analysis, cluster analysis, and chi-square tests were used, with a significance level of 5%. A total of 27 items were used to measure knowledge on a five-point Likert scale. Applying factor analysis with principal components and Varimax rotation, a solution that explains about 55% of variance was obtained. This accounts for four factors that retained 22 of the 27 initial items: F1 = Sustainability (8 items), F2 = Nutrition (8 items), F3 = Production Factors (2 items), and F4 = Health Concerns (4 items). Internal consistency was evaluated through Cronbach’s alpha. The cluster analysis c...
Foods
The consumption of edible insects (EI) is traditional in many parts of the world, but not in othe... more The consumption of edible insects (EI) is traditional in many parts of the world, but not in others. In fact, despite globalization and the multiple advantages pointed out about the consumption of EI, there are still many countries where entomophagy is seen with disgust and aversion. This systematic review aimed to examine the motivations that influence the consumption of EI in diverse cultures and understand if there are differences between Western countries (WC) and insect-eating countries (IEC). It further evaluated whether the degree of acceptability was influenced by the form of consumption of the insects (eating whole insects or foods containing insects). This literature review was conducted in November 2021 within three databases, Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus, according to the Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis and using PRISMA directives. From a total of 245 studies, 31 were selected to be included in this review, based on the inclusio...
Agronomy
This research aimed to study consumers’ trends and the consumption of foods obtained through orga... more This research aimed to study consumers’ trends and the consumption of foods obtained through organic farming in two different countries, Portugal and Turkey. A questionnaire survey was used, applied through internet tools as a result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. For the treatment of data, we used basic statistics complemented with a tree classification, aimed at evaluating the influence of sociodemographic factors on the knowledge about this type of food. The results showed that the consumption patterns are relatively similar in both countries, with many participants consuming organic foods, especially vegetables and fruits, consuming them mostly two or three meals per week. The strongest motivations to consume organic foods include benefits for human health and lower environmental impacts, while the most substantial reason not to consume is the higher price. It was also found that in both countries, people have good knowledge about the advantages of organic foods over convent...
Slovenian Journal of Public Health, 2020
Introduction The objective was to develop and validate an instrument that measures different dete... more Introduction The objective was to develop and validate an instrument that measures different determinants of people’s food choices and simultaneously accounts for a variety of factors: health, emotions, price and availability, society and culture, environment and politics, and marketing and advertising. Methods This is a cross-sectional study focusing on food choice determinants. It was carried out in 16 countries in 2017 and 2018. This study included 11,960 volunteer adult participants from different countries. The data was validated using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results Validation using CFA with SEM revealed that multi-factor modelling produced first- and second-order models that could be used to define the EATMOT scale, the first presenting better fitting indices, with the goodness-of-fit and comparative-fit indices very close to 1, as well as root-mean-square-error-of-approximation, root-mean-square-residual and standardised-ro...
Hrvatski Časopis za Prehrambenu Tehnologiju Biotehnologiju i Nutricionizam - Croatian Journal of Food Technology, Biotechnology and Nutrition, 2016
The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children is increasing; hence, it was aimed to ass... more The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children is increasing; hence, it was aimed to assess the Body Mass Index (BMI) in school children aged from 10 to 18 years for girls and to 17 for boys, as well as to identify the factors influencing BMI. This study included 742 students who answered a questionnaire previously approved for application in schools. The results showed some sociodemographic factors associated with BMI classes: age, school year, practicing high competition sport, being federate in a sport or having a vegetarian diet. The educational factors associated with BMI classes included only seminars given at school by a nutritionist. Behavioural factors significantly associated with BMI included: learning in classes, playing in the open air, reading books or use of internet. As conclusion, the results demonstrated that several factors affect BMI, and hence some actions could be taken in order to change them so as to reduce the prevalence of overweight, namely reinfo...
Nutrition & Food Science, 2019
Purpose This study to investigate several issues related to food choice and consumption patterns ... more Purpose This study to investigate several issues related to food choice and consumption patterns in different countries, including health-related factors; economic and availability aspects; emotional determinants; social, cultural and religious influences; marketing and advertising campaigns; and finally environmental concerns. Design/methodology/approach The present study was based on a questionnaire that was exclusively prepared for the project, and which was applied to collect data in different countries, in particular Croatia, Egypt, Italy, Greece and Portugal, which are typically associated with the Mediterranean diet (MD). Findings The results obtained allowed, in general, to conclude that in all five countries the motivations related to health as well as environment and politics were the more relevant to determine people’s eating habits (scores varying from 0.3 to 0.7). Women were more influenced by eating motivations than men, and people with moderate exercise were more susc...
I st World Congress of Children and Youth Health Behaviors / 4 th National Congress on Health Edu... more I st World Congress of Children and Youth Health Behaviors / 4 th National Congress on Health Education 167 particularly, university life challenges. These situations might be perceived by the students as a crisis and/or a developmental opportunity. Objectives: To characterize the global mental health of higher education students, in terms of emotional distress, stress and depression. Methods: This is a quantitative descriptive and cross-sectional study with a sample of 220 University students attending, and not attending, professional psychological support. The evaluation protocol includes a sociodemographic questionnaire,
Nutrients
Eating behaviors and healthy food choices are associated with food literacy, and they have a huge... more Eating behaviors and healthy food choices are associated with food literacy, and they have a huge impact on one’s health status. For that reason, to increase food literacy is a way to effectively help individuals make appropriate choices that help maintain health and diminish the incidence of non-communicable diseases. The objective of this work was to test and validate a scale to assess food literacy. The validation was conducted on a sample of 924 Portuguese university students. The scale was composed of 50 items, which were submitted to exploratory and confirmatory factors analysis. The final validated scale corresponded to a second-order model with a global factor called “Food literacy”, which retained 26 items distributed by three factors: F1—literacy about the nutritional composition of foods (10 items), F2—literacy about labelling and food choices (7 items), and F3—literacy about healthy eating practices (9 items). The internal consistency of the scale is very high, with an a...
Pedagogical supervision takes on particular relevance in the context of the education system and,... more Pedagogical supervision takes on particular relevance in the context of the education system and, more particularly, in school, taking as an essential condition of critical approach, self-regulating and (re)guidance of teaching practices and professionalism of teachers, with special attention to the work done in the classroom. Pedagogical supervision may, through appropriate supervising processes, enable teachers to take a different view of learning through the sharing of differentiated, motivating, stimulating and innovative strategies.This paper reports on a project carried out by a team of teachers from the School of Education of Viseu, in a school in the city of Viseu, and is based on an in-depth study of the work developed by the teachers of the Primary Education in the framework of their professional practices. The study aims at understanding and clarifying in depth the curricular practices of teachers’ professional action, in order to clarify how this action promotes students...
Foods, 2020
This study analysed the perceptions about healthy eating as well as some emotional factors condit... more This study analysed the perceptions about healthy eating as well as some emotional factors conditioning eating behaviour in a sample of people from Portugal, Brazil and Argentina. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study involving a non-probabilistic sample of 2501 participant. Data was collected through a questionnaire applied to adult citizens residing in their respective countries. For data analysis chi-square tests were used, and associations were evaluated by Cramer’s coefficients. Moreover, a tree classification analysis was conducted for variables related with perceptions about healthy eating and emotional conditioning of eating behaviour. The results revealed that participants’ perceptions are generally in agreement with healthy eating. However, significant differences were found between countries (p = 0.018) and by levels of education (p < 0.0005), with a more accurate perception for Portugal and at the university level. The existence of statistically significant asso...
There are several factors that may explain the learning outcomes, namely personality and motivati... more There are several factors that may explain the learning outcomes, namely personality and motivation. A review of recent empirical studies on the relationship between Big Five personality dimensions (Costa & McCrae, 1992a) and academic achievement found some consistent results. A meta-analysis showed that conscientiousness is strongly and consistently associated with academic achievement (O ́Connor & Paunonen, 2007). Notably, the literature indicates that the narrow personality traits or facets of this factor “are generally stronger predictors of academic performance than are the Big Five personality factors themselves” (p. 970). Also the positive correlation between conscientiousness and academic performance is commonly interpreted in terms of motivation (p. 987).
Nutrition & Food Science, 2018
Purpose A healthy diet has been recognized as one of the most important factors associated with m... more Purpose A healthy diet has been recognized as one of the most important factors associated with maintaining human health and helping in preventing the development of some chronic diseases. Therefore, this paper aims to study the perceptions of a sample of university people regarding a healthy diet. Design/methodology/approach It was undertaken a descriptive cross-sectional study on a non-probabilistic sample of 382 participants. The data were collected among a sample of Portuguese university people and measured whether people’s perceptions were compliant with a healthy diet. Findings The results revealed that the participants’ perceptions were, in general, compliant with a healthy diet (scores between 0.5 and 1.5, on a scale from −2 to +2). However, significant differences were found between age groups (p = 0.004), with a higher average score for young adults, and also between groups with different levels of education (p = 0.025), with a higher score for university degree. The varia...
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Papers by Ana Paula Cardoso