Income differences in food consumption in the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey

Abstract

Objective: To assess the relationships between an index of per capita income and the intake of a variety of individual foods as well as groups of food for men and women in different age groups. Design: Cross-sectional national survey of free-living men and women. Subjects: A sample of 5053 males and 5701 females aged 18 y and over who completed the Australian National Nutrition Survey 1995. Methods: Information about the frequency of consumption of 88 food items was obtained. On the basis of scores on the Food Frequency Questionnaire, regular and irregular consumers of single foods were identified. The relationships between regularity of consumption of individual foods and per capita income were analysed via contingency tables. Food variety scores were derived by assigning individual foods to conventional food group taxonomies, and then summing up the dichotomised intake scores for individual foods within each food group. Two-way ANOVA (income  age group) were performed on the food variety scores for males and females, respectively. Results: Per capita income was extensively related to the reported consumption of individual foods and to total and food group variety indices. Generally, both men and women in low income households had less varied diets than those in higher-income households. However, several traditional foods were consumed less often by young high-income respondents, especially young women. Conclusions: Major income differentials in food variety occur in Australia but they are moderated by age and gender. Younger high-income women, in particular, appear to have rejected a number of traditional foods, possibly on the basis of health beliefs. The findings also suggest that data aggregation has marked effects on income and food consumption relationships.

The relationship between education and food consumption in the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey

“…Frequency of consumption was transformed into a dichotomous variable by defining a food as being 'regularly consumed' if it was consumed 1-3 times per month or more frequently, and as 'irregularly consumed' if it was consumed never or less than once per month. This definition has been used in a previous study by the authors 12 .…”

Public views of the benefits and barriers to the consumption of a plant-based diet

“…An innovation, such as eating a plant-based diet, is likely to be adopted if it is compatible with the current beliefs, values and behaviours of adopters and if its benefits outweigh those of current practices (Contento et al, 1995). It is also important to recognise that health care and food beliefs and behaviours are related to demographic differences such as sex, age and education (Turrell, 1998;Kalof et al, 1999;Fraser et al, 2000;Kearney et al, 2000;Parmenter et al, 2000;Wardle and Steptoe, 2003;Worsley et al, 2003). For example, female sex and increasing age and education level have been found to be positively associated with reported attempts to eat a healthier diet .…”

Consumers' readiness to eat a plant-based diet

“…Previous research has shown that demographic variables such as sex and age are related to health care and food beliefs and behaviours (Van Duyn et al, 1998;Fraser et al, 2000;Kearney et al, 2000;Wardle and Steptoe, 2003;Worsley et al, 2003;Lea and Worsley, 2004). For example, females, older people and those with a higher level of education are more likely to attempt to eat more healthily (Kearney et al, 2000).…”