Family Food Habits Research Articles

Influences on food decisions across the family life cycle

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of the family life cycle on factors that influence food habits. Three hundred thirty-six married couples representing our four family life cycle were randomly selected and interviewed. Each partner was asked how important 14 different sources of influence were on his/her food decisions. Sources of influence included media, classes, government information, significant others, and financial and health concerns. These sources had their greatest impact on young families who were establishing family food habits. Impact of these influences changed only moderately for other life cycle stages, indicating more stabilized food habits for these marriage partners. Wives were more influenced than husbands in each life cycle stage. Health concerns, cost, and nuclear family members were the most important sources of influence. Information from the media, government, food classes, and extension had little to moderate influence.

Sociologic study of food habits—a review. II Differentiation, accessibility and solidarity

The process of changing food habits is more complex than would appear to most nutritionists; it involves much more than the collection of information. Change must be studied from a multidisciplinary, chiefly a sociologic, point of view, since the food habits of families within a community are formed in a matrix of human relationships. Three major variables are presented and discussed: (a)differentiation, the capacity to process information; (b)accessibility, the measured distance between a family and an information source; and (c)solidarity, the ability of a family group to react cohesively to proposed change. To effect change in his dietary habits, an individual needs his family's cooperation. The nutritionist will do well to rely on the findings of social scientists if proposed changes in family food habits are to be implemented.