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Article
Publication date: 3 June 2019

Yam B. Limbu, Christopher McKinley, Rajesh K. Gautam, Ajay K. Ahirwar, Pragya Dubey and C. Jayachandran

The purpose of this paper is to examine the indirect effects of nutritional knowledge and attitude toward food label use on food label use through self-efficacy and trust, as well…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the indirect effects of nutritional knowledge and attitude toward food label use on food label use through self-efficacy and trust, as well as whether gender moderates this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of Indian adults with multiple chronic conditions was surveyed about their nutritional knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy and use of food labels. Hypotheses were tested using Hayes’s (2013) PROCESS macro for SPSS.

Findings

The results show that nutritional knowledge and attitude toward food label use positively predict food label use through self-efficacy and trust. However, these mediation effects are moderated by gender such that the indirect relationship is stronger among men than women.

Practical implications

Food marketers and government agencies engaged in nutrition education campaigns should aim to increase patients’ confidence in comprehending food label information.

Social implications

Since food labels can be a valuable tool to help patients with chronic diseases to make informed decisions about their diet and lifestyle, regulators may consider mandating nutritional labels on foods to help them improve their food or dietary choices.

Originality/value

This study uniquely applies Fisher and Fisher’s (1992) information–motivation–behavioral skills model as a theoretical framework to examine the influence of nutrition knowledge and attitude toward food label use on food label usage of Indian patients with multiple chronic diseases.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 121 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 October 2011

Chien‐Huang Lin, Hung‐Chou Lin and Sheng‐Hsien Lee

This paper seeks to explore the effect of mood states and gender on the relationship between health‐related information and variety seeking (VS) behavior among food products.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to explore the effect of mood states and gender on the relationship between health‐related information and variety seeking (VS) behavior among food products.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experiments were conducted to examine the moderating effects of mood states and gender on the relationship between health‐related information and VS.

Findings

The results indicate that sad people incorporate more VS than happy people when health warnings and nutritional labeling are absent, but sad and happy people tend to converge to similar levels of VS when health warnings and nutritional labeling are present. Moreover, males incorporate less VS than females when health warnings are present, while females incorporate less VS than males when nutritional labeling is present.

Practical implications

In the absence of health warnings and nutritional labeling, it is a wiser way for leading brands to cultivate positive consumer moods by utilization of humorous ads, so that they do not search for varied products. For less well‐known brands, inducing negative consumer moods is a better way to encourage brand switching. Further, providing nutritional labeling will strengthen consumer brand loyalty by reducing their VS, especially for females. As the health warnings reduce the VS for males, marketers may take advantage of this effect by associating brand names with health warnings.

Originality/value

As VS is found to be related to over‐consumption, it is important to investigate the effects of health‐related information on VS. However, little empirical evidence has been found on the effect of health‐related information on VS behavior. Further, this study takes into consideration moderating factors as it is important for marketers to realize how health‐related information interacts with the consumer's VS behavior under different mood states and gender. The findings demonstrate that the relationship between health‐related information and VS is moderated by mood states and gender differences, an important contribution to the research on VS behavior.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 113 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2002

Alan Beardsworth, Alan Bryman, Teresa Keil, Jackie Goode, Cheryl Haslam and Emma Lancashire

This article reports the results of the re‐analysis of a substantial set of survey based quantitative data relating to food beliefs, practices and preferences. The particular…

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Abstract

This article reports the results of the re‐analysis of a substantial set of survey based quantitative data relating to food beliefs, practices and preferences. The particular focus of attention was upon gender contrasts. Several statistically significant differences between men and women were identified. These differences occurred in such areas as views on food and health, the ethical dimensions of food production and food selection, nutritional attitudes and choices, dietary change, food work and body image. Two distinctive patterns emerged, which the authors termed “virtuous” and “robust”, the former exhibiting attitudes more typical of women, and the latter attitudes more typical of men.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 104 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 1997

Angela Shine, Seamus O’Reilly and Kathleen O’Sullivan

Research findings have suggested that today’s consumers view nutrition in a positive light. The findings of this survey support such evidence. The majority of consumers consider…

4398

Abstract

Research findings have suggested that today’s consumers view nutrition in a positive light. The findings of this survey support such evidence. The majority of consumers consider diet to be a very important component of their lifestyles and regard nutrition as a positive attribute of food products. A high level of awareness of nutrition labelling is evident among consumers, and 58 per cent of respondents use nutrition labels. However, consumers have to deduce information from nutrition labels in their current format. This proves rather difficult as knowledge of a balanced diet is quite low. Therefore, consumers find it difficult to implement current dietary advice through the use of nutrition labels, and only 17 per cent of the sample surveyed use labels for this purpose. Social networks and the “popular” media were found to be the most used sources of nutrition information, the medical profession was seen as a source of “cure” rather than prevention and a negligible percentage of the sample used official government information channels. Concludes that nutrition labels have a role to play; however, the food industry needs to respond to consumer needs and education/information provision needs to be improved.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 99 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 March 2020

Yee Ming Lee and Erol Sozen

This study investigated whether consumers have reasonable estimates of the calorie content of Americans' top 10 favorite foods, explored the effects of calorie disclosure on…

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigated whether consumers have reasonable estimates of the calorie content of Americans' top 10 favorite foods, explored the effects of calorie disclosure on United States consumers' future consumption frequency of these food items, and examined the effects of health consciousness, food calorie knowledge, and attitudes toward menu labels on intention to use menu labels.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was developed, pilot tested, and distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). The overall model fit and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

The results from 1,005 completed surveys showed that the accuracy of calorie estimations varied across food items. Most consumers could not estimate the calories of steak, hamburgers, chocolate chip cookies, and vanilla ice cream within the acceptable range. Disclosure of calorie information did affect future consumption frequency of the food items. The SEM results showed that health consciousness, food calorie knowledge, and attitudes toward menu labels positively affected consumers' future intention to use menu labels.

Originality/value

This study points to a need to educate consumers about food calories and suggests plausible ways to encourage consumers' intention to use of menu labels.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 122 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 April 2022

Rachele De Cianni, Liam Pippinato, Raffaele Zanchini, Filippo Brun, Giuseppe Di Vita and Teresina Mancuso

The objective of this study is to investigate the role of mothers in administering afternoon snacks to children aged between 6 and 10. Through an exploratory analysis, this study…

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this study is to investigate the role of mothers in administering afternoon snacks to children aged between 6 and 10. Through an exploratory analysis, this study aims at identifying how sociodemographic characteristics of mothers and children and objective and subjective nutritional awareness of the parent influences healthy or unhealthy food choices for the children.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was submitted to 242 mothers of children attending primary school. Non-parametric correlation using Spearman's coefficient was adopted as an exploratory analysis tool.

Findings

The analysis shows that the mothers' level of education and income influence the purchase of snack products. More permissive parents tend to be less well-off, have more than one child and also purchase sweet treats, salty snacks, and sugary drinks more frequently. Furthermore, the results show that parents' perceived subjective awareness is actually lower than their objective awareness, but also that both types of knowledge positively influence the purchase of healthy snacks.

Originality/value

There is extensive research documenting the importance of parents in reducing the risk of obesity; however, their influence on snack intake has not been widely discussed. Furthermore, the association between the occurrence of obesity and parents' behaviour regarding their children's snacking remains unclear. To bridge this gap, this study focuses on a meal which is often linked to poor eating habits: the afternoon snack.

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2020

Silambarasi Kuralneethi, Sarina Sariman and Vaidehi Ulaganathan

This study aimed to determine the relationship between calorie and macronutrients intake and the growth status of Aboriginal children based on gender and age group.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to determine the relationship between calorie and macronutrients intake and the growth status of Aboriginal children based on gender and age group.

Design/methodology/approach

This was a cross-sectional study participated by 85 school-aged Aboriginal children at Labu, Negeri Sembilan. The dietary intake and socioeconomic status data were collected from the parents using an interviewer administrated structured-questionnaire and 24-hour dietary recall. WHO AnthroPlus software was used to determine the z-score of weight for age (WAZ), height for age (HAZ) and body mass index (BMI) for age (BAZ).

Findings

The mean fat intake was significantly higher among younger children (i.e. 7–9 years old) as compared to elder children (i.e. 10–12 years old) (40.7 ± 17.3 g vs 32.0 ± 13.8 g; t = 2.496, p = 0.015) but not for the mean intake of calorie (1816.1 ± 979.9 kcal vs 1566.3 ± 808.7 kcal; t = 1.248, p = 0.216), protein (50.13 ± 20.08 g vs 44.94 ± 16.45 g; t = 1.269, p = 0.208) and carbohydrates (198.0 ± 63.0 g vs 190.8 ± 66.1 g; t = 0.513, p = 0.609). The majority of the respondents did not meet recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for the calorie (65.9%) and fat (75.3%). A significantly higher proportion of elder children did not meet RNI for fat as compared to younger children (88.8% vs 65.3%; X2 = 6.21, p = 0.021). The HAZ showed that 28.2% (n = 24) of the Aboriginal children were stunted, while WAZ showed that 14.8% (n = 9) of the Aboriginal students were underweight, and 8.2% of them were overweight. Based on BAZ classification, 15.4% (n = 6) of boys and 2.2% (n = 1) of girls were overweight. There is no significant correlation between calories and macronutrients and growth status of the children.

Originality/value

Although the under-nutrition status among Aboriginal children is still a highlighted issue, the few over-nutrition statuses among Aborigines should be taken into count, especially in term of energy and macronutrient intake.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 123 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 July 2021

Asuncion Hernandez-Fernandez, Ines Kuster-Boluda and Natalia Vila-Lopez

Rates of diseases caused by poor diet have seen no reduction in recent years. In this scenario, nutritional information labels and health claims could play a decisive role in…

Abstract

Purpose

Rates of diseases caused by poor diet have seen no reduction in recent years. In this scenario, nutritional information labels and health claims could play a decisive role in modifying product attitudes and purchase intention (consequently, eating habits). In this frame, the first objective is to analyze the role of three antecedents on attitudes toward nutritional labels and credibility from health claims. These three starting antecedents are as follows: psychological characteristics of the consumer associated with eating disorders, body image attitudes and affective reactions (pleasure and arousal). Second, this paper aims to analyze if both elements (attitudes toward nutritional labels and credibility from health claims) improve (or not) food product attitudes and then, its purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample comprised 300 young people between 18 and 25 years old. They provided their opinion about a healthy product by completing a structured and personal questionnaire after inspecting the packaging. Path analysis with partial least squares (PLS) was carried out to test the hypotheses stated.

Findings

First, psychological characteristics associated with eating disorders (self-concept and self-esteem) have a positive significant influence on body image attitudes. Second, attitudes toward their body image have a great effect on the perception that these consumers have about the information provided by healthy food packaging. Insofar as those whose attitudes toward their body image is “damaged” seek in the nutritional label indications that make them feel calm understanding that the food they are going to buy is not harmful to their health. Moreover, credibility from health claims improves positive attitudes toward the nutritional label. On the contrary, those consumers with higher punctuations in body image assigned lower values to those items concerning nutritional information and health claims in the packaging. Third, if attitudes to nutritional information improve, then product attitudes improve too. Fourth, if product attitudes improve, then purchase intention improves too. So, food product managers should be aware of the need to improve product attitudes by working on the packaging (label and claim) to improve purchase intention.

Originality/value

First, although previous literature has investigated individual psychological characteristics related to food disorders in the health area, the study of these specific individual psychological characteristics (ineffectiveness, perfectionism, interpersonal distrust, interceptive awareness, maturity fears), is under-researched in the marketing discipline. Second, to date, different authors have investigated how important the use of credibility from health claims in packaging can be in terms of increasing product attitudes and purchase intention, as well as the development of positive attitudes toward nutritional information on the label. However, the joint study of both information sources in the packaging (credibility from health claims and attitudes toward nutritional labels) remains under-investigated.

Details

Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 37 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0885-8624

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 May 2011

Torben Hansen, Ashesh Mukherjee and Thyra Uth Thomsen

This paper aims to investigate the effect of anxiety on information search during food choice and to test a key moderator of the effect of anxiety on search, namely attitude

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the effect of anxiety on information search during food choice and to test a key moderator of the effect of anxiety on search, namely attitude towards nutritional claims.

Design/methodology/approach

By means of qualitative study the paper investigates the notion that consumers experience anxiety about health outcomes during food choice. Further, by means of structural equation modelling based on two studies with representative samples of Danish consumers, the paper investigates the effects outlined above.

Findings

The authors show that anxiety during food choice increases information search in four product categories – ready dinner meals, salad dressing, biscuits, and cakes. Further, the results show that the positive effect of anxiety on information search is stronger when consumers have a less favourable attitude towards nutritional claims on the product label.

Practical implications

The results suggest that anxiety during food choice is desirable from the consumer welfare point of view since it leads to more informed consumers. The results also indicate that public policy makers should educate consumers to be critical about nutritional claims, since this would increase consumers' propensity to search for health information. In turn, from a managerial point of view this suggests that providers of healthy food should provide extended health information for consumers that are sceptical about nutritional claims since their scepticism towards this type of condensed information will in fact motivate extended information search.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to research in marketing on food choice and consumption: a consumption area that is important but difficult to navigate due to an increasing complexity of nutritional information at the point of sale. This paper demonstrates that situational, choice‐based anxiety and scepticism towards nutritional claims may actually be good things by prompting consumers to undertake search, and hence ultimately make more informed choices.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 March 2016

Ilija Djekic and Nada Smigic

– This paper aims to present results from a research that analyzed the quality of labels available in the Serbian food market and consumers’ attitudes toward food labels.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present results from a research that analyzed the quality of labels available in the Serbian food market and consumers’ attitudes toward food labels.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 899 food labels have been analyzed in relation to the presence of legally required information, their readability to average consumer and presence of nutritional/health claims and/or nutritional information. In parallel, 400 respondents were interviewed in the survey of consumers’ attitudes regarding labels.

Findings

Results revealed that 38.2 per cent of food products hold labels that are not fully readable to average consumers. Regarding basic label information, 11 per cent of foods have missing information in terms of series/lot identification. The majority of the products (87.4 per cent) have only basic nutritional information with 4.6 per cent of products holding nutritional claims. Consumers with active sport activities showed higher awareness of nutritional information. There were no statistically significant differences between smokers and non-smokers regarding their attitudes toward nutritional information. Age and education play a significant role in ranking nutritional facts. The most important nutritional information is fat content, followed by sugar and vitamins.

Research limitations/implications

The nature of the study did not allow conclusions regarding causal relationship between food products and consumers as well as if nutritional information affects consumers’ choices and purchasing patronage.

Originality/value

The findings of this study are worthy, as they report the Serbian consumers’ understanding of labels and nutritional information as well as the status food labels sold in the Serbian market.

Details

Nutrition & Food Science, vol. 46 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0034-6659

Keywords

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