# Consumer Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Ultra-Processed Foods
Meanwhile, methods for analysing consumer attitudes and decision-making processes have expanded significantly with the integration of big data analytics, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM), sentiment analysis, and other advanced artificial intelligence (AI) techniques [10]. These methods, tools, and technologies offer deeper insights into behavioural trends and help uncover the underlying motivations behind UPF consumption. These challenges motivate us to examine consumer attitudes towards UPFs using both traditional statistical techniques and modern analytical methods, such as structural equation modelling (SEM) and MCDM models. The objective of this study was to develop and validate comprehensive models that evaluate and predict consumer attitudes toward UPFs by considering key behavioural factors such as perceived health conciseness, food knowledge, subjective norms, and environmental awareness. The models also incorporate demographic and socio-economicfactors, including income levels, gender, education, dietary habits, and consumer preferences in food shopping. This structured approach enhances the understanding of the determinants of UPF consumption and their implications for public health policies and food industry strategies. The main tasks of this study were as follows:  
1. Develop a conceptual model that allows for the systematic examination of consumer attitudes towards UPFs and the identification of underlying behavioural patterns influencing purchasing decisions. 2. Gather and structure a dataset reflecting consumer experiences, perceptions, and preferences regarding UPFs, incorporating key socio-economic and demographic factors, and food preferences. 3. Identify the main determinants that impact consumer willingness to purchase UPFs by reviewing previous studies and proposing appropriate analytical approaches to assess their impact. 4. Construct and validate mathematical models based on the identified factors and compare the results with findings from prior research on food consumption behaviour. This study employs SEM to examine data from 290 survey participants, exploring the impact of health awareness, taste preferences, and social factors on consumer attitudes toward UPFs. By combining statistical analysis with modern decision-making approaches, the research offers valuable insights for policymakers, the food industry, and sustainability experts aiming to promote more balanced and healthier dietary choices. The structure of this paper is as follows: Section 2 examines the main characteristics of UPFs and their significance in contemporary dietary patterns. Section 3 provides an overview of existing research on consumer perceptions of UPFs, emphasising the key psychological, socio-economic, and behavioural determinants of food choices. Section 4 outlines the questionnaire design, specifying the measurement indicators adapted from prior studies on food consumption and health awareness. Section 5 focuses on data analysis; SEM and AI methods are applied to develop and validate mathematical models, followed by a comparative assessment with findings from previous research. Lastly, Section 6 summarises the main conclusions, acknowledges the study's limitations, and suggests potential directions for future investigations.