Premium
Convenience as a Factor in Meal Preparation Among Health‐Conscious Adults
Author(s) -
Armstrong Jill E.,
Lange Edith,
Stem Donald
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
home economics research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.372
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1552-3934
pISSN - 0046-7774
DOI - 10.1177/1077727x9101900304
Subject(s) - respondent , meal , meal preparation , perception , medicine , age groups , environmental health , psychology , gerontology , demography , food science , biology , pathology , neuroscience , sociology , political science , law
A recent consumer survey concluded that half the primary food shoppers in U.S. households are strongly influenced by convenience or health values in food selection. To explore these influences further, adult male and female road‐race participants (n = 930) were recruited for a survey of personal and household factors influencing the perceived role of convenience in meal preparation among a group of “health‐conscious” consumers. The respondents' perception of how often convenience is a factor in household meal preparation was significantly influenced by sex (p < .01) and an age‐household composition interaction effect (p < .01). Convenience was reportedly most often a factor in meal preparation for respondents under 50 years old who live alone, respondents under 40 years old in adults‐only households, all age groups in multiperson households with children, and women. Convenience reportedly played less of a role in meal preparation for respondents over 50 years old who lived alone or with other adults. Interest in information on easy‐to‐fix meals increased as frequency of household food prep aration by the respondent increased, and was significantly higher among females than males in multiperson households. Results imply sex‐ and age‐group differ ences in perceptions of food preparation that have a potential impact on how nutrition educators develop “convenient” dietary change strategies for certain active adults.