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Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, global food production and transportation have been largely impacted. Meanwhile, consumers have purchased and stockpiled large quantities of foods due to panic in the early stage of the pandemic, which has resulted in a lot of uneaten, expired foods and has reduced the varieties of foods available in the markets. Due to the lower prices, some consumers have chosen to buy those foods with an earlier production time or inferior quality (suboptimal foods), and the purchase rate of suboptimal foods has increased. Therefore, this study investigated consumer behavior during the pandemic as the research focus, explored the main dimensions that affect consumers’ purchasing of suboptimal foods during the COVID-19 pandemic, tested their correlations, and proposed suggestions for improvement. The results of this study showed that the impacts of Perceived Benefits on Attitude Toward Behavior, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Subject Norm rank 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in importance, respectively, which are all higher than the related impact of Environmental Concerns. For consumers, the most important thing is whether suboptimal foods have consumption motivation for them, which is also the most direct way to make consumers feel the value of suboptimal foods. Furthermore, for consumers, while the environmentally friendly attributes of suboptimal foods are less perceptible than the economic motivations, they still have considerable influence on consumers, and this is even more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many families have experienced a shock to their income during the pandemic, and consumers are more sensitive and concerned about commodity prices, which also makes lower-priced and more abundant suboptimal foods more popular. However, in the long term, suboptimal foods can have a positive impact on reducing food waste and protecting the environment. When consumers realize this, they will be more motivated to purchase and try suboptimal foods.

A study of 1,558 US households in June 2020 evaluated utilization of online grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic, influences on utilization, and plans for future online grocery shopping. Nearly 55 percent of respondents shopped online in June 2020; 20 percent were first-timers. Cragg model estimates showed influences on online shopping likelihood and frequency included demographics, employment, and prior online shopping. Illness concerns increased likelihood, while food shortage concerns increased frequency of online shopping. A multinomial probit suggested 58 percent respondents planned to continue online grocery shopping regardless of pandemic conditions.

Sexual dimorphism in body weight, fat distribution, and metabolic disease has been attributed largely to differential effects of male and female gonadal hormones. Here, we report that the number of X chromosomes within cells also contributes to these sex differences. We employed a unique mouse model, known as the \"four core genotypes,\" to distinguish between effects of gonadal sex (testes or ovaries) and sex chromosomes (XX or XY). With this model, we produced gonadal male and female mice carrying XX or XY sex chromosome complements. Mice were gonadectomized to remove the acute effects of gonadal hormones and to uncover effects of sex chromosome complement on obesity. Mice with XX sex chromosomes (relative to XY), regardless of their type of gonad, had up to 2-fold increased adiposity and greater food intake during daylight hours, when mice are normally inactive. Mice with two X chromosomes also had accelerated weight gain on a high fat diet and developed fatty liver and elevated lipid and insulin levels. Further genetic studies with mice carrying XO and XXY chromosome complements revealed that the differences between XX and XY mice are attributable to dosage of the X chromosome, rather than effects of the Y chromosome. A subset of genes that escape X chromosome inactivation exhibited higher expression levels in adipose tissue and liver of XX compared to XY mice, and may contribute to the sex differences in obesity. Overall, our study is the first to identify sex chromosome complement, a factor distinguishing all male and female cells, as a cause of sex differences in obesity and metabolism.

With the aggravation of global climate change, the issue of environmental protection has become the focus of global attention, and countries all over the world have devoted themselves to the sustainable development of resources to reduce the negative impact of the environment on human society. Reducing the resource waste is an important aspect of the sustainable development, among which food waste is a critical part. According to a report of the United Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 35% of food is wasted during consumption. Although households are the main contributors to food waste during consumption, the situation in university canteens cannot be ignored. As universities have a high degree of social influence, some policies and activities are piloted in universities, and then, promoted to society after achieving significant results. In future social development, the food waste behavior of consumers at the early stage of adulthood will have a significant impact on society. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the factors that lead to food waste by early adulthood consumers. This study focuses on food waste by end consumers and explores factors in the food waste behavior of the emerging adulthood consumer, which can be used as a reference for improving food waste in schools, governments, and other related industries in the future. The results show that the model of factors influencing the food waste behavior of emerging adulthood consumers established in this study is acceptable. According to the analysis results of the structural equation modeling (SEM), it can be seen that the influences of environmental concerns on the attitude toward behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are ranked first, second, and third, respectively. While emerging adulthood consumers have a high degree of independence and self-awareness, schools, governments, media networks, and other related industries also need to establish a more complete system and form of cherishing food, in order to encourage emerging adulthood consumers to change their behavior and attitude spontaneously.

The Four Core Genotypes (FCG) is a mouse model system used to disentangle the function of sex chromosomes and hormones. We report that a copy of a 3.2 MB region of the X chromosome has translocated to the Y Sry- chromosome and thus increased the expression of X-linked genes including the single-stranded RNA sensor and autoimmune disease mediator Tlr7 . This previously-unreported X-Y translocation complicates the interpretation of studies reliant on C57BL/6J FCG mice. Here the authors find a genetic alteration in the popular “Four Core Genotypes” mouse model that is used to distinguish sex-biased phenotypes caused by sex chromosomes and gonads. This alteration increases the expression of some X-linked genes, which might confound the interpretation of the model.

Men and women differ in circulating lipids and coronary artery disease (CAD). While sex hormones such as estrogens decrease CAD risk, hormone replacement therapy increases risk. Biological sex is determined by sex hormones and chromosomes, but effects of sex chromosomes on circulating lipids and atherosclerosis are unknown. Here, we use mouse models to separate effects of sex chromosomes and hormones on atherosclerosis, circulating lipids and intestinal fat metabolism. We assess atherosclerosis in multiple models and experimental paradigms that distinguish effects of sex chromosomes, and male or female gonads. Pro-atherogenic lipids and atherosclerosis are greater in XX than XY mice, indicating a primary effect of sex chromosomes. Small intestine expression of enzymes involved in lipid absorption and chylomicron assembly are greater in XX male and female mice with higher intestinal lipids. Together, our results show that an XX sex chromosome complement promotes the bioavailability of dietary fat to accelerate atherosclerosis. Men and women differ in their risk of developing coronary artery disease, in part due to differences in their levels of sex hormones. Here, AlSiraj et al. show that the XX sex genotype regulates lipid metabolism and promotes atherosclerosis independently of sex hormones in mice.

This paper aims to model consumers’ perceptions and preferences toward alternative foods. We conducted a survey of 519 people and analyzed their responses using a structural equation model. The article discusses the role of food innovation quality (FIQ), a concept developed from innovative design, which shows how consumers perceive the quality of products in an innovative context. Further, the paper discusses the relationship between this concept and promoting consumer acceptance of alternative foods. Studies suggest that higher FIQ may lead to increased consumer satisfaction with alternative foods, which may in turn lead to higher levels of trust and continuation. Moreover, expectations play a significant role in FIQ and in the perceived value of alternative foods in the model. This illustrates that the promotion of alternative foods in an innovative manner should include establishing a practical mechanism for meeting consumer expectations. Given the continued growth in global food demand, it is both effective and beneficial to promote alternative foods through innovative design as part of a broader food industry approach. On the one hand, alternative foods produced in an innovative manner serve to energize the consumer market by expanding dietary choices. On the other hand, alternative foods, which include new forms of meat products, contribute to the alleviation of the problem of meat production capacity in agriculture. In addition, the alternative foods process eliminates the emission of large amounts of carbon dioxide by traditional agriculture, increasing the sustainability of food production.

Surplus foods are fresh raw material of food that has not been processed, and a large number of surplus foods are discarded and wasted every day. As a new business model, a surplus food blind box can attract consumers to purchase to reduce food waste. The main purpose of this study is to find out how to improve consumers’ degree of cognition of surplus food blind box to improve the purchase intention. Therefore, this study analyzes the relevant factors affecting consumers’ purchase intention of surplus food blind box, and through conceptualization and hypothesis verification, establishes a perceived model of consumers’ purchase intention of surplus food blind box that can be used for future research. The results can be used by relevant practitioners, consumers, governments, and researchers to reduce food waste.

Eating congregate/community meals with friends promotes a balanced and healthy diet among older adults. It is helpful for postponing aging, preventing chronic diseases, and improving their quality of life. However, little research has examined the continuance intention for older adults with the congregate meal program in Taiwan. This study established a model for key factors of older adults’ continuance intention dining at senior meal halls, and hypotheses to explain them, and subsequently designed questionnaires and scales. By analyzing the longitudinal data collected from 416 individuals using survey questionnaires, we found that the perceived service quality is the main factor that affects the perceived satisfaction, and the perceived satisfaction of the older adults plays an important role in this survey. It showed that if the older adults are satisfied with the service quality provided by the senior meal halls, which will accordingly affect the post-use trust, they will show a positive continuance intention to participate in the senior meal halls. We also found that the older adults have positive views on the planning and service contents of the existing senior meal halls. Together, these results illustrate the process and provide comprehensive insights and evidence to create a better user experience and improve the satisfaction of the congregate meal for older adults.

The development of the times and the development of the Internet have changed people’s consumption concepts. The author has conducted user research on user groups such as college students. After data analysis, the demand for resource sharing and trading of second-hand goods of college students was transformed into the function point of the trading platform. The APP was designed and developed to solve the needs of college students to share and exchange resources on campus. The APP’s main functions are second-hand commodity trading and virtual resource trading.