The first objective of this research was to identify whether Asian-Americans having higher than average levels of income and education represent an appropriate target market for four food product categories. Second, the impact of national origin membership, demographic variables, and level of acculturation on food consumption was determined. In addition, perceptions related to sensory and nutritional factors and the cultural acceptability of the products were identified and interpreted to determine if the variables differed among specific groups of Asian-American consumers.

Household vegetable expenditure patterns are examined using data from the 1972-1974 Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Diary Survey. Tobit analysis is employed to measure the effects of changes in household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics on changes in the probability of purchase and the magnitude of expenditure for vegetables. The study examines expenditure for the major processed forms and five vegetable subgroups. The results indicate that household total annual income and age-sex composition are important factors explaining vegetable expenditure patterns. Increases in income are associated with increases in vegetable expenditure, and economies of size occur in households with adult females. The number of household members in other age-sex categories are found to be important for expenditures on particular vegetable forms and subgroups. Mean expenditure for vegetables is affected by U.S. region, population density of residence, employment status, race, food stamp purchase, and educational level. Changes in household characteristics are found to affect probability of purchasing vegetables and the magnitude of expenditure. Household vegetable expenditure profiles are illustrated as a means of applying the results. / Master of Science

This study surveyed working young adults to explore their food choice influences. Focus group data determined which food choice influences were important for young adults and were used to develop a pilot survey. Analysis of the pilot survey assisted in revising the survey which was again pilot tested; minor revisions were made before data collection. The sample included 18-24 year old young adults who were taking nine or fewer credit hours and were not living with a parent or child. Of the 111 subjects, 42 percent were male, 64 percent female; 77 percent Caucasian, 16 percent Hispanic; and 68 percent were taking no classes. The food choice influences which appear to be the strongest for working young adults are, in order of strength: Appearance of food, Taste, What was eaten as a child, Convenience, What friends eat, Health, Calorie content, Advertising, and Price. Appearance of food and taste were much stronger than the rest. Cluster analysis identified three groups of working young adults: Socially-oriented, health-oriented, and time-oriented. The socially-oriented group viewed what friends ate and convenience as significantly more important. This group tended to be less educated. Health-oriented working young adults rated eating healthy and low-calorie foods as significantly more important while they were significantly less concerned about price and advertising. Time-oriented working young adults were significantly less concerned about eating healthy foods and thought their time for food preparation was significantly less adequate. Taste and appearance of food were significantly less important for this group. Time-oriented working young adults tended to be the most educated. The proportion of males and females in each cluster was approximately equal to the sample distribution. Nutrition educators should focus less on health, calories, and price and more on taste and appearance in their nutrition messages; cooking demonstrations and food samples are suggested approaches. Nutrition education messages also need to recognize that an effective message to one young adult may be ineffective with another. Targeting nutrition messages to various types of young adults may result in realizing greater success in promoting adoption of healthier eating patterns.

In the modern United States, capitalism is the predominant cultural value that structures the food system. The current American relationship to food is strained, at best, as two-thirds of Americans experience overweight and obesity and are at risk for a number of serious health complications. An understanding of the historic and political-economic aspects of the American food system is necessary to address the effects of our modern food habits on our ideas of our selves. This thesis analyzes the types of foods Americans eat, why they make the food choices that they do, how they feel about their eating habits and their habits' effects on their bodies, and how this all relates to our sense of identity as Americans. / by Marlena Kay Dates. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.