Effect of Food Labeling, Weight Consciousness, and Gender on Eating Behavior

Abstract

What, and how much, people eat can play an important role in weight control and health management. The purpose of this study is to test several aspects of the Food Choice Process Model (Furst, Connors, Bisogni, Sobal, & Falk, 1996), which proposes that food choice involves multiple global factors that vary in their degree of influence and interaction. Specifically we seek to examine the effects of food labeling, weight consciousness, and gender on food consumption and the perceptions of the taste and healthfulness of a granola bar. We hypothesize that individuals who are high in weight consciousness will eat more of a “healthy” granola bar than of a “gourmet” granola bar, individuals who are high in weight consciousness and receive a “healthy” granola bar will eat less than those who are low in weight consciousness and receive a “healthy” granola bar, and individuals who are high in weight consciousness and receive a “healthy” granola bar will eat less than those who are low in weight consciousness and receive a “healthy” granola bar. In order to gather data, participants were asked to take part in a market research study in which they tasted and rated a granola bar product on aspects including taste and healthfulness. Data collection began in fall semester and data analysis should be completed by the end of March. We hope that our data will contribute to a better understanding of what influences people’s healthy (or unhealthy) food choices.