Adaptation of the Food Choice Questionnaire: the case of Hungary

Zoltán Szakály,Károly Pető,József Popp,Sándor Kovács,Zsolt Polereczki,Enikő Kontor

doi:10.1108/bfj-07-2017-0404

Zoltán Szakály, Károly Pető + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1108/bfj-07-2017-0404

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Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability of the original 36-item Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) model developed by Steptoe et al. (1995) in Hungary.Design/methodology/approachThe national representative questionnaire involved 1,050 individuals in Hungary in 2015. Several multivariable statistical techniques were applied for the analysis of the data: confirmatory factor analysis, principal component analysis, and cluster and Log-linear analysis.FindingsThe results indicate that the original nine-factor model is only partially applicable to Hungary. This study successfully managed to distinguish the following factors: health and natural content, mood, preparation convenience, price and purchase convenience, sensory appeal, familiarity, and ethical concern. The FCQ scales proved to be suitable for the description of clusters based on specific food choices and demographic characteristics. By using the factors, the following five clusters were identified: modern food enthusiast, tradition-oriented, optimizer, easy-choice and un-concerned, all of which could be addressed by public health policy with individually tailored messages.Originality/valueThe Hungarian testing process of the FCQ model contributes to an examination of its usability and provides the possibility of fitting the model to different cultures.

Highlights

Food choices can be described as a complex process, whose influencing factors can be divided into two categories: internal effects and external effects (Eertmans et al, 2005)
Several multivariable statistical techniques were applied for the analysis of the data: confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis
Since the nine-factor model which derives from the original Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) statements is not appropriate for the sample, PCA analysis was used to discover what modifications occurred in the original model’s factors (Table II)

Summary

Introduction

Food choices can be described as a complex process, whose influencing factors can be divided into two categories: internal (food) effects (e.g. sensory aspects) and external (non-food) effects (e.g. psychological, social and cultural factors) (Eertmans et al, 2005). The literature draws attention to the fact that consumer behavior is changing, and a kind of nutritional revolution is occurring. Food purchases by individuals are increasingly driven by information, attitudes and other complex psychological factors and are decreasingly influenced by price and income. Consumers’ health and environmental awareness is steadily growing with the increasing availability of information. The public’s interest in sustainability is steadily increasing and attitudes are generally positive, but consumer behavior is not always consistent with this belief (Kearny, 2010)

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