Dietary strategies and uptake of reduced fat foods.
OBJECTIVE
This research has sought to identify factors determining consumer uptake and rejection of reduced fat foods. Initial qualitative research implied that use of reduced fat products could be dependent upon which dietary health strategies people adopt. This analysis therefore explores the degree to which various dietary strategies predict uptake of reduced fat products.


METHODS
Items were derived from prior qualitative findings and responses to relevant issues surveyed by interview (n = 1004) within selected retail outlets throughout Northern Ireland and England.


RESULTS
Logistic regression analysis indicated that concern over health, drive to reduce calorie consumption, to increase intake of fish and poultry and fruit and vegetables consistently predicted consumption across a range of reduced fat products. These dietary strategies appeared to predict uptake of reduced fat foods to a greater degree than perceived taste or price.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings imply that for reduced fat foods to achieve universal acceptance promotional messages need to be translated into commonly adopted dietary health strategies.
Stewart-Knox
B
B
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, (NICHE), Universit of Ulster, Coleraine, Co. L'Derry, BT52 1SA, UK. b.knox@ulster.ac.uk
Hamilton
J
J
Parr
H
H
Bunting
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004034:Diet Surveys; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004522:Educational Status; D002149:Energy Intake; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005502:Food / Q000191:economics; D005518:Food Preferences; D005638:Fruit; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009660:Northern Ireland; D011200:Poultry; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013649:Taste; D014675:Vegetables