In the pursuit of a healthier diet among young Chinese adults: identifying important food quality attributes and factors that influence food choices

Abstract

The paper examines preferences for nutritional and health-related food attributes, the importance placed on intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of food and the individual, household and psychographic determinants when making choices. To address the lack of empirical studies, the paper estimates Poisson, negative binomial and linear regressions using data from 457 young Chinese adults between 18 and 30 years. The results show a strong preference for nutritional and health-related food attributes. Gender and unemployment are associated with a decrease in the number of nutritional features valued in food choices. In contrast, a higher income and a positive perception of body shape are associated with an increase in the number of valued nutritional features. Also, older individuals assign lower importance to intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics in evaluating food, while larger household size, higher income, and positive body shape perception increase the importance placed on intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics in evaluating food.