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Abstract Background The deterioration of the health status of the Romanian population during the economic transition from a centrally planned to a free market economy has been linked to lifestyles factors (e.g. diet) regarded as a main determinants of the disparity in life expectancy between Eastern and Western Europe. Reforms in the health care system in this transition economy aim to focus on preventive action. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that impact on the individual decision to engage in Dietary Health Preventive Behaviour (DHPB) and investigate their influence in the context of an adapted health cognition model. Methods A population-based study recruited 485 adult respondents using random route sampling and face-to-face administered questionnaires. Results and discussion Respondents' health motivation, beliefs that diet can prevent disease, knowledge about nutrition, level of education attainment and age have a positive influence on DHPB. Perceived barriers to healthy eating have a negative impact on alcohol moderation. The information acquisition behaviour (frequency of reading food labels) is negatively predicted by age and positively predicted by health motivation, education, self-reported knowledge about nutrition and household financial status. A significant segment of respondents believe they are not susceptible to the elicited diseases. Health promotion strategies should aim to change the judgments of health risk. Conclusion The adaptation of the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Health Preventive Behaviour represents a valid framework of predicting DHPB. The negative sign of perceived threat of disease on DHPB may suggest that, under an income constraint, consumers tend to trade off long-term health benefits for short-term benefits. This cautions against the use of negative messages in public health campaigns. Raising the awareness of diet-disease relationships, knowledge about nutrition (particularly sources and risks associated with dietary fat and cholesterol) may induce people to adopt preventive dietary habits.

While it is understood that market knowledge can positively impact product innovation performance (PIP), a better understanding on the nuanced roles of different aspects of market knowledge is needed. More specifically, we aim to gain an understanding of how different types of market knowledge, such as tacit knowledge, are developed and utilised, especially in high uncertainty environments. This research was conducted with a sample of in-depth interviews with industry experts in new product development in the UK grocery sector (N = 8) followed up by a survey of 193 companies from the UK grocery sector. The study proposes two measures of market information-gathering activities (MIGA) and market knowledge volume informed by input from experts in the UK grocery sector. Results show that MIGA have a positive effect on market knowledge volume and specificity. Market knowledge volume and specificity consequently have a direct effect on PIP. Finally, market knowledge tacitness is positively moderated by market uncertainty. That is, market knowledge tacitness is most impactful in high uncertainty environments, but offers limited benefit in low uncertainty environments. This study provides evidence of how market knowledge-gathering activities and types can positively impact new product performance, especially in high uncertainty environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]