Consumer Evaluation of the Role of Functional Food Products in Disease Prevention and the Characteristics of Target Groups

Nutrients

Ágoston Temesi¹  Zoltán Lakner¹  Brigitta Plasek¹  Gyula Kasza² 

[1] Department of Food Economics, Faculty of Food Science, Szent István University, Villányi str. 29-43, 1118 Budapest, Hungary;Directorate for Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Food Chain Safety Office, Keleti Károly str. 24, 1024 Budapest, Hungary;

关键词: consumer research;    willingness to purchase;    non-communicable diseases;    binary logistic regression;    random forest;   

DOI  :  10.3390/nu12010069

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Our research explores the methods consumers would consider using in order to prevent non-communicable diseases, with consuming functional food products being one of these methods. Previous research has pointed out the importance of missing information such as which diseases worry consumers and what they would use to avoid them. We conducted a personal survey with 1027 people in Hungary about 13 diseases and four prevention methods. We analyzed the results with descriptive statistical methods, binary logistic regression, and random forest. According to our results, the highest proportion of worried respondents think it is justified to consume functional foods for the prevention of digestive problems, a weakened immune system, and high cholesterol level. Our results help to characterize the target group for these three diseases. Completed education plays a key role in choosing functional foods to prevent a weakened immune system. Those with tertiary education are the most likely to choose this prevention method. With the other two diseases, age played a crucial role. All age groups over 36 would be more likely to choose functional foods to prevent digestive problems, whereas in case of high cholesterol level, the 36−50 age group would be more likely to apply this method.

【 授权许可】

Unknown