Can Fast-Food be Considered as Healthy?: Unveiling Consumer Perception and Attitude Through a Hybrid Review

Abstract

The current study examines consumer perceptions and attitudes toward the healthiness of fast food through a hybrid review using bibliometric analysis and the TCCM framework. The current study recognizes three major questions: recognition of the leading contributors in the field, identification of trends in theory and methodology, and projecting possible roads ahead for fast food as a healthy choice in diets. The key findings highlight there was a minor decline in fast-food research from 2021 to 2024, presumably because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Fast-food research experienced substantial increase between 1997 and 2021. The TCCM framework offers a comprehensive overview of fast-food health perception research by highlighting theories like the Health Belief Model, Theory of Planned Behaviour etc. It captures diverse dimensions of consumer attitudes, such as health beliefs and social influences. The framework also supports varied research methods, from surveys to experiments. The study suggests dynamic consumer attitudes shaped by public health campaigns, menu innovations, and global events, providing implications for future research, industry practices, and policymakers to promote healthier fast-food options.