Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Numerous individuals daily partake in injurious consumption, such as excessive or unhealthy food
choices. Individuals’ incorrect food choices can have a negative effect on their weight, health and
general quality of life. Marketers could and should play a pivotal role in influencing consumers’ food
choices, which will ultimately contribute to healthier individuals and societies as a whole.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between self-concept and food
choice, self-efficacy and food choice, emotional states and food choice, and weight perception and
food choice, and to highlight implications for marketers based on these findings. These
relationships were investigated in a Generation Y sample. A sample of 383 college-aged1 students
of Generation Y completed a self-administered questionnaire that was designed based on previous
studies. Respondents’ weight perception was also investigated as many students from Generation
Y try to change their weight perceptions through their food choices. Respondents’ food choice was
compared to the recommended food choice of the South African Department of Health
(Department of Health, 2009).
Based on this comparison, it was proposed that marketers of food products should promote a
decrease in respondents’ meat consumption and an increase in milk, fruit, vegetable and starch
consumption. Small yet significant relationships between respondents’ specific food choices and
self-concept, self-efficacy, emotional states and weight perception were found. Marketers can
incorporate these relationships into their advertising campaigns and brand slogans in order to
positively influence Generation Y to make healthier food choices.
Another significant finding was that male respondents indicated a higher ideal weight than their
actual weight, while female respondents indicated a lower ideal weight than their actual weight. A
relationship was also found between self-concept and weight perception for both men and women
from Generation Y.
The significance of this study lies in the expansion of knowledge regarding the food choice
behaviour of a Generation Y sample and the recommendations made to marketers based on
relationships found between food choice and the constructs at hand. These recommendations can
ultimately improve consumers’ food choice. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskeie individue neem daagliks deel aan nadelige verbruik, met inbegrip van oormatige of
ongesonde voedselkeuses. Individue se foutiewe voedselkeuse kan hul gewig, gesondheid en
lewensgehalte negatief beïnvloed. Bemarkers kan en behoort 'n belangrike rol te speel om
individue te oortuig om gesonde voedselkeuses te maak.
Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om die verhouding tussen self-konsep en voedselkeuse, selfekwiteit
(‘self-efficacy’) en voedselkeuse, emosionele toestande en voedselkeuse en
gewigspersepsie en voedselkeuse te ondersoek en om die implikasies hiervan gebaseer op hierdie
bevindings aan bemarkers voor te lê. ʼn Steekproef van 383 lede van Generasie Y het ’n vraelys
ingevul wat ontwerp is op grond van vorige navorsing. Respondente se gewigspersepsie is ook
bestudeer aangesien verskeie studente (universiteitsouderdom) van Generasie Y poog om hul
gewigspersepsie te verander deur middel van hul voedselkeuses. Respondente se voedselkeuses
is vergelyk met die voedselkeuses wat aanbeveel word deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van
Gesondheid (Department of Health 2009).
Op grond van die vergelyking is bevind dat bemarkers ʼn afname in individue se vleisinname, en ʼn
toename in individue se melk-, vrugte-, groente- en styselinname behoort te bevorder. Die
ondersoek het getoon dat daar klein, maar beduidende verhoudings aangetref is tussen
respondente se spesifieke voedselkeuses en self-konsep, self-effektiwiteit, emosionele toestande
en gewigspersepsie. Bemarkers kan hierdie verhoudings in hul bemarkingsveldtogte en
handelsmerk-slagspreuke inkorporeer.
Nog ʼn beduidende resultaat was dat die manlike respondente ʼn hoër ideale gewig as hul huidige
gewig aangedui het, terwyl vroulike respondente ʼn laer ideale gewig as hul huidige gewig aangedui
het. Die resultate toon ook dat daar vir beide mans en vroue van Generasie Y ʼn verhouding tussen
self-konsep en gewigspersepsie is.
Deur middel van hierdie studie is kennis rakende die voedselkeuses van ʼn steekproef van
Generasie Y uitgebrei. Aan die hand van die verhoudings tussen voedselkeuse en respondente se
self-konsep, self-effektiwiteit, emosionele toestande en gewigspersepsie, is daar aanbevelings vir
bemarkers gemaak. Hierdie aanbevelings sal uiteindelik bydra tot die verbetering van Generasie Y
se voedselkeuses.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6714 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Janse van Rensburg, Louise |
| Contributors | Terblanche-Smit, Marlize, Du Preez, Ronel, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Business Management. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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