The relation between attitudes toward functional foods and satisfaction with food-related life

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the effect of attitudes towards functional foods (AFF) on university students’ satisfaction with food-related life (SWFL) and to distinguish student typologies, considering that the AFF are not homogeneous among consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was applied to 372 university students (mean age=20.4 years, SD=2.4) in Southern Chile. The questionnaire included the AFF questionnaire and the SWFL scale, questions about consumption and knowledge about functional food (FF) and socio-demographic characteristics.

Findings

Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling, it was found that AFF directly and significantly influence students’ SWFL. A cluster analysis applied to the Z-scores from the factors obtained by the CFA classified three typologies: positive towards FF (36.3 per cent), moderately positive towards FF (43.0 per cent) and negative towards FF (20.7 per cent). The positive towards FF type had a significantly greater SWFL score than the negative towards FF type. The types differ according to consumption and knowledge about FF.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted in the context of only one country in South America.

Originality/value

This study is the first that assesses the effect of AFF on SWFL in a sample of university students. Fostering positive attitudes towards FF will allow for a growth in the degree of SWFL of university students with features similar to those of the study sample.

Citation

Schnettler, B., Adasme-Berríos, C., Grunert, K.G., Márquez, M.P., Lobos, G., Salinas-Oñate, N., Orellana, L. and Sepúlveda, J. (2016), "The relation between attitudes toward functional foods and satisfaction with food-related life", British Food Journal, Vol. 118 No. 9, pp. 2234-2250. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-02-2016-0079