Influence of Food Purchase Decision Maker on the Nutritional Status of Indian Households With Adolescents

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To know the decision maker in the family with respect to purchase of foods and to understand the influence of the decision maker on the nutritional status of family members of households with adolescents. Methods Families (n = 60) residing in urban Bangalore, India, with at least one adolescent family member (13–17 years) were selected by purposive sampling. An interviewer administered questionnaire was developed and pre-tested on ten % of the subjects and was used for collecting the data. For studying the food purchase decisions the food items were divided into 5 categories:1) Fruits and vegetables(n = 18) 2) Ready to cook or raw ingredient (n = 13) 3) ready to eat foods (n = 9), 4) dairy products (n = 6) and 5) non vegetarian foods (n = 4). Any family member who made the highest number of food purchase decisions over a period of one month was considered as the decision maker of the family. Nutritional status of family members was assessed based on their Body Mass Index (WHO, 2004). Chi square test was used to know the influence of decision maker on the nutritional status of family members. Results The results of the study show that mother is the decision maker in 61% families in case of fruits and vegetables and in 59% families in case of raw ingredients. In case of ready to eat foods it is the adolescents who are the major decision makers and in case of dairy products both mother and father together were decision makers and purchasing decisions with respect to non-vegetarian foods was dominated by fathers (51%). Overall it was found that in 52% families mother was decision maker, 19% families father was decision maker and only in 9% families adolescent family members were major food decision makers. Based on results of Chi square test the hypothesis that the decision maker has no effect on the nutritional status is accepted. Conclusions The decision maker is different for different category of foods. The decision maker and the nutritional status of family members are two independent attributes. Funding Sources It is a self financed study as part of Masters Program in Dietetics and Food Service Management from Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi.