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Food consumption patterns and healthy eating across the household life cycle in Hungary
Author(s) -
Neulinger Agnes,
Simon Judit
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
international journal of consumer studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.775
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1470-6431
pISSN - 1470-6423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1470-6431.2011.01015.x
Subject(s) - consumption (sociology) , psychology , affect (linguistics) , meal , convenience food , family life , environmental health , gerontology , medicine , economics , socioeconomics , food science , sociology , biology , social science , communication
The family or household life‐cycle concept has a significant place in the consumer behaviour literature. The ideology reflects the different lifestyle, income and expenditure patterns brought about by family‐form transitions. The household life‐cycle model is accepted as a predictive tool of household expenditures; however, this predictive ability is debated. The different life‐cycle stages may also have an affect on dietary habits and health consciousness. Several studies supported that the family form has a strong influence on children's food consumption. Some examples, which are heavily influenced by the family form and likewise the family life‐cycle stages, are fruit and vegetable intake, breakfast consumption and healthy eating in general. The present study focuses on eating patterns and healthy eating in various stages of the household life cycle. A total of 518 questionnaires were completed in a form of face‐to‐face interviews in Hungary in November 2008, in which the respondents were analysed according to the categories of the household life cycle. Eating patterns and healthy eating were measured by nutrition awareness with statements such as choice of fast food restaurants, the characteristics of meal and the frequency of cooking from fresh ingredients. Current results suggest that the construct of the household life‐cycle model is a valid tool to understand the food intake and healthy eating within different family forms.