Preference For Dairy Products Research Articles

How does COVID-19 distort the impact of information interventions on low-carbon diet transitions: a case of dairy consumption in China

PurposeThis paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on low-carbon consumption of dairy products through informational interventions. The empirical findings seek to enlighten developing countries' efforts in coping with climate change and potential dietary transitions.Design/methodology/approachA randomized controlled trial was designed to examine the effects of purpose-differentiated information interventions on individual dairy consumption. The experiment recruited and randomly assigned 1,002 college students into four groups to receive (or not) environmental or/and health information interventions.FindingsThe empirical analysis finds that health and combined information interventions have a positive impact on dairy consumption, while environmental information interventions' effect on dairy consumption is insignificant. In the context of the pandemic, health information interventions positively affected participants' perceptions and preferences for dairy products by delivering knowledge about their role in boosting immunity. However, environmental information interventions failed to do the same things as their insignificant effects on both perception and preference.Originality/valueMacro-external shocks, such as public health events, may offset the impact of universal information interventions promoting pro-environmental behaviors. For a smooth dietary transition to achieve long-term environmental sustainability, diverse stakeholders must be included in more individualized interventions to guide daily consumption, especially in developing countries with large populations.

Exploring the factors influencing consumer preference toward dairy products: an empirical research

Purpose This study aims to identify the major factors influencing the consumers to prefer milk products and also to analyze the awareness level of the Indian consumers. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the data is obtained through a structured questionnaire from Indian consumers considering convenience sampling under the nonprobability sampling technique. The consumer preference is explained using a multiple-regression model followed by analysis of variance (ANOVA), which shed insight on the significant differences between the variables that influence consumer preference for dairy products. Findings Investigation is done to analyze the factors influencing the consumers' buying behavior toward milk and its products. The results showed that quality, health consciousness, price and availability are the most influencing factors to buy milk products. Quantity of milk showed a significant relationship between age, monthly income and family size. Research limitations/implications This study helps marketing managers to frame the marketing strategies based on consumer preference, quality, health consciousness, price and availability. The research outcome will not only be advantageous for the entrepreneurial perspective but also takes care of consumer likeliness. Though the research reveals the opinion of Indian consumers, it limits the likeliness of the western world. Because of the scarcity of resources, several dairy products are unexplored, which could pave the future scope of research. Originality/value The novelty of this study is to identify the quality, health consciousness, price and availability are the most influencing factors to buy milk products considering ANOVA and the multiple regression model.

Investigating knowledge on calcium and preferences for dairy vs. plant-based alternatives

Calcium is a nutrient of public health concern and commonly associated with dairy foods. In recent years, plant-based alternatives to dairy products have grown in popularity. This study examines public understanding of dietary calcium in dairy products and plant-based alternatives and explores whether knowledge is associated with product preference. In 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) solicited comments on the labeling of plant-based dairy alternatives (FDA-2018-N-3522), including input on consumer understanding of the nutritional content of dairy foods and plant-based products. All 11,906 submissions were obtained and 8,052 were retained after duplicate and near-duplicate comments were removed. Comments were coded for major nutrition themes and those that mentioned calcium and were analyzed for three calcium-specific themes: knowledge and beliefs about calcium content, calcium bioavailability, and health outcomes associated with intake. Submissions were examined in relation to each commenter’s preference for dairy products or plant-based alternatives. 244 unique submissions (3.0%) mentioned calcium. Over half (51.2%) of commenters who mentioned calcium preferred plant-based alternatives. Comments mentioning calcium often reflected preference. Most commenters had an accurate understanding of calcium content in dairy and plant-based products. However, several commenters – especially those who preferred plant-based alternatives – misunderstood calcium metabolism and health outcomes related to calcium. Given declining consumption of fluid dairy milk – a key source of dietary calcium – and increasing consumption of plant-based alternatives, addressing gaps in nutrition knowledge and misunderstanding related to dairy and calcium intake is critical and has implications for nutrition education and policy.

Tunisian Consumer Quality Perception and Preferences for Dairy Products: Do Health and Sustainability Matter?

Consumer awareness about dairy quality increased in the last years, specifically after recent food incidents worldwide (aflatoxin contamination in Europe, 2013, E. coli outbreak in the USA, 2015). In Tunisia, food security and sustainability are at the center of agricultural and food strategies. Therefore, data collected from a face-to-face survey of 214 participants in three cities of Tunisia were analyzed with the aim to identify the general trends of dairy consumption in Tunisia. A factor analysis was conducted to define the way consumers perceive the concept of dairy quality with regards to health and sustainability perceptions. Then, by means of cluster analysis we explore the existence of specific consumer types in relation to dairy quality perceptions, with clear-cut and statistically solid socio-demographic and behavioral profile. Three consumer types were highlighted to evaluate dairy quality, based on different quality dimensions, such as health and sustainability, experience, visible quality, brand name, price and innovation. The results show the emergence of a specific segment of young and older consumers, more educated, and with health and sustainability concerns toward dairy quality.

Gender difference in the overlap of irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia: a prospective nationwide multicenter study in Korea.

The overlap between functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is associated with more severe gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and lower quality of life. However, the gender differences in FD-IBS overlap remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the gender differences in patients with FD-IBS overlap. Controls and cases were prospectively enrolled from July 2019 to June 2020 at nine tertiary referral centers. The patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and their symptoms were evaluated using a questionnaire including GI symptom-related items and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). FD and IBS were diagnosed according to the Rome IV criteria, and the clinical characteristics of the FD-IBS overlap group were compared with those of the FD-only or IBS-only group. Among 667 subjects (334 healthy controls, 168 with FD-only, 37 with IBS-only, 128 with FD-IBS overlap), the FD-IBS overlap group (19.2%) showed a higher rate of preference for dairy products, a higher rate of history of Helicobacter pylori eradication, and higher HADS scores than the non-overlap group (P<0.05). In the FD-IBS overlap group, men complained of reflux symptom and loose/watery stools more than women (P < 0.05), whereas women showed more severe GI symptoms, especially epigastric pain/burning symptoms, and higher depression scores than men (all P < 0.05). FD-IBS overlap patients are associated with severe upper GI symptoms and depression compared to non-overlap patients. Moreover, women with FD-IBS overlap experience more severe GI and depression symptoms than men.

Consumer stated preferences for dairy products with carbon footprint labels in Italy

Carbon footprint (CF) labels on agri-food products represent one of the most important tools to convey information to consumers about the greenhouse gases emissions associated with their purchase behaviour.Together with the growing interest of consumers in CF labels, the subject has gained attention also in the scientific literature, and formal evaluations of consumer response to carbon labelling have been published. Studies in this area aim at analysing consumers’ preferences for buying products with a lower CF label or their willingness to pay (WTP) for these products.The objective of this paper is twofold. First, the study proposes a review of the literature that so far has analysed consumer WTP for CF label, focusing on Italian consumers. Second, it uses the results of two surveys of consumers’ attitudes towards dairy products with a lower CF label to analyse the factors determining a positive stated WTP. Results point out that a positive WTP for lower CF products is more likely to be declared by respondents who believe that buying products with less environmental impact can combat climate change. Conversely, highly price-sensitive consumers are less likely to be willing to pay more for CF-labelled products.

Study on Milk and Dairy Products Consumers Behavior and Preferences in Sibiu Country from Romania

Abstract Milk and dairy products are some of the most popular and consumed food products. They can be eaten from an early age and bring a significant nutritional contribution to the health of the consumer. The main objective of this study was to identify socio-economic and demographic factors that influence consumer preferences for dairy products. The study was conducted using a questionnaire and targeted two types of dairy products: packaged dairy products and unpackaged dairy products.

Food preference for milk and dairy products

Milk and dairy products constitute an important source of energy and nutrients for humans. Food preferences may significantly influence the actual consumption (and thus nutrition) of people at the population level. The objective of the present large-scale survey was to specify current preferences for milk and dairy products with regard to age and sex. The study was conducted across the Moravia region, Czech Republic, on a sample of 451 individuals divided into 4 age groups: children, adolescents, young adults, and elderly people. A graphic scale questionnaire was administered, with respondents rating their degree of preference for each food item by drawing a mark on a 35 mm line. Out of the 115 items in the questionnaire, 11 items represented dairy products. Data was analysed by means of a general linear model using IBM SPSS Statistics software. Preference for milk was lower in the elderly group than the other groups (P &lt; 0.01). In children, the most preferred dairy product was cream, which was in contrast with the elderly group. Significant sex differences were only found with low-fat yoghurt (P &lt; 0.01). The overall preference for dairy products (21.6) was lower than the average preference for all foods on the list (22.5). The cross-sectional study revealed intergenerational differences in preferences for specific dairy products, which were most marked in case of cream, processed cheese, blue cheese, and buttermilk. The knowledge of these differences might help promote more focused action at the community level directed at increasing the overall consumption of dairy products in the population.

Understanding consumers’ perceptions of product quality for lighter dairy products through the integration of marketing and sensory information

Marketing research can subjectively measure consumers’ perceptions of a product's extrinsic attributes such as its price, packaging and the product's image. Sensory analysis can objectively measure a product's intrinsic attributes such as its flavour, texture and aroma. This research identified the extrinsic and intrinsic attributes that determined consumer preferences for a range of dairy products. Six focus groups revealed that consumers had negative perceptions towards the attributes of lighter dairy products. Descriptive Sensory Analysis was used to profile the sensory characteristics of full-fat and lighter dairy products. Preference Mapping and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis were used to identify clusters of consumers with similar preferences for dairy products. End-users had higher preferences for lighter milks and strawberry yoghurts, than lighter Cheddar-type cheeses. This research illustrated how an integrated market and sensory analysis methodology determined consumer preferences for lighter foo...

Dietary preferences in Japanese centenarians favoring dairy foods

Background: Relatively few studies have considered the dietary preferences of the oldest elderly individuals. As persons aged over 100 years have survived for a particularly long period of time, the dietary habits of centenarians might be significant factors influencing late‐life health.Methods: We compared the dietary practices of 94 centenarians living in Tokyo metropolitan with those of 30 other healthy elderly people (older controls) and 98 healthy middle‐aged subjects (younger controls). Dietary intake was recorded for 3 successive days and was classified in terms of 18 food groups: cereals, potatoes, sugars, sweets, fats, nuts, legumes, fishes, meats, eggs, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, algae, beverages, seasonings, and processed foods. Dietary patterns were classified by a k‐means cluster analysis based on the proportional intake of each food group. Each pattern identified was evaluated nutritionally.Results: While the daily intake of protein, fat, carbohydrate, and total calories was highest in younger controls and lowest in centenarians, no significant differences were evident when intake was evaluated relative to body weight. Four clusters of subjects preferred beverages, vegetables, dairy products, and cereals, respectively. Preference for beverages was most frequent in younger controls while preference for vegetables was relatively frequent in older controls. A pattern preferring dairy products was particularly characteristic of centenarians. Dairy products were advantageous for calcium intake while a preference for vegetables was of great advantage – assisting in the intake of vitamins and iron.Conclusions: Japanese centenarians showed a preference for dairy products which, therefore, means that their calcium intake is high.