How do farmers’ perceptions of food environment affect their consumption of aquatic products? Evidence from inland provinces in Northern China

Abstract

Despite being the largest global producer and consumer of aquatic products, China shows a significant difference in consumption between rural and urban areas. This study explores the underlying factors contributing to this disparity by examining the personal food environments of rural households in inland China, emphasizing the affordability, accessibility, convenience, and desirability of aquatic products versus meat. Data from 1,309 households in Hebei and Shanxi were analyzed through a survey assessing food item accessibility, affordability, convenience, and desirability alongside demographic and consumption data. Using multivariate linear regression, the results highlight a notable dietary imbalance, with underconsumption of aquatic products and overconsumption of pork. The analysis shows that personal food environment scores are consistently higher for meat, particularly in affordability and preparation convenience. Notably, a one-unit increase in the food environment score correlated with a 35.2% increase in aquatic product consumption.