TY - JOUR
T1 - Australian consumer awareness of health benefits associated with vegetable consumption
AU - Rekhy, Reetica
AU - Khan, Aila
AU - Eason, Jocelyn
AU - Mactavish-West, Hazel
AU - Lister, Carolyn
AU - Mcconchie, Robyn
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Aim: The present study investigated the perceived health benefits of specific vegetable consumption to guide the use of nutrition and health claims on vegetable marketing collateral. Methods: Free elicitation and consumer ranking data were collected through an online survey of 1000 adults from across Australia and analysed for the perceived importance of vegetables in the daily diet, number of serves consumed per day, knowledge about health-related benefits of specific vegetables and perceived health benefits of vegetable consumption. Results: The importance of vegetables in the diet and daily vegetable consumption was higher in people from an English-speaking background, females, people aged 45years and over and people living in non-metropolitan areas. Digestion was selected as the major health benefit from consumption of specific vegetables. However, understanding of the health benefits of specific vegetable consumption was relatively low among consumers. Half of the respondents were not sure of the health benefits associated with specific vegetables, except for carrots and spinach. Some respondents volunteered nutrient content or other information. Conclusions: There was no clear indication that consumers understand the specific health benefits conferred by consumption of vegetables. Nutrient and health benefit labelling therefore has the capacity to enhance knowledge of vegetable consumers. It is recommended that health benefit labelling be tailored to promote greater consumption of vegetables in those demographic groups where vegetable consumption was lower. The present study assists the Australian vegetable industry in helping consumers make more informed consumption choices.
AB - Aim: The present study investigated the perceived health benefits of specific vegetable consumption to guide the use of nutrition and health claims on vegetable marketing collateral. Methods: Free elicitation and consumer ranking data were collected through an online survey of 1000 adults from across Australia and analysed for the perceived importance of vegetables in the daily diet, number of serves consumed per day, knowledge about health-related benefits of specific vegetables and perceived health benefits of vegetable consumption. Results: The importance of vegetables in the diet and daily vegetable consumption was higher in people from an English-speaking background, females, people aged 45years and over and people living in non-metropolitan areas. Digestion was selected as the major health benefit from consumption of specific vegetables. However, understanding of the health benefits of specific vegetable consumption was relatively low among consumers. Half of the respondents were not sure of the health benefits associated with specific vegetables, except for carrots and spinach. Some respondents volunteered nutrient content or other information. Conclusions: There was no clear indication that consumers understand the specific health benefits conferred by consumption of vegetables. Nutrient and health benefit labelling therefore has the capacity to enhance knowledge of vegetable consumers. It is recommended that health benefit labelling be tailored to promote greater consumption of vegetables in those demographic groups where vegetable consumption was lower. The present study assists the Australian vegetable industry in helping consumers make more informed consumption choices.
KW - consumer education
KW - health aspects
KW - health promotion
KW - vegetables
KW - vegetables in human nutrition
UR - http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/uws:37983
U2 - 10.1111/1747-0080.12328
DO - 10.1111/1747-0080.12328
M3 - Article
SN - 1032-1322
VL - 74
SP - 175
EP - 184
JO - Nutrition and Dietetics
JF - Nutrition and Dietetics
IS - 2
ER -