Factors Influencing Food Choice Flashcards
Personal, Social, and Economic Factors
✔ Personal preference – People choose foods based on taste, texture, smell, and past experiences.
✔ Social factors – Family traditions, peer influence, and social gatherings affect food choices.
✔ Economic factors –
• Cost – People with lower income may choose cheaper, processed foods.
• Availability – Some foods are harder to find in certain regions.
• Seasonality – Fresh produce is cheaper and tastier in season.
✔ Time of day and lifestyle –
• Busy people may prefer ready-made meals.
• Athletes choose high-energy, protein-rich foods.
✔ Celebrations and occasions – Certain foods are linked to festivals and holidays (e.g., Christmas turkey, birthday cake).
Medical Reasons
✔ Some people need to avoid certain foods due to medical conditions:
• Lactose intolerance – Avoid dairy.
• Coeliac disease – Must eat gluten-free foods.
• Diabetes – Need to monitor sugar intake.
• Allergies – Avoid foods like nuts, shellfish, or eggs.
Religious and Cultural Beliefs
Many major religions have food-related rules that followers observe:
✔ Buddhism – Many Buddhists are vegetarian or vegan as they believe in non-violence towards animals.
✔ Hinduism –
• Many Hindus do not eat beef because cows are sacred.
• Many are vegetarian due to religious beliefs.
✔ Islam –
• Halal food is required (animals must be slaughtered in a specific way).
• Pork and alcohol are forbidden (haram).
✔ Judaism –
• Kosher food is required (e.g., no mixing dairy and meat, no pork or shellfish).
• Animals must be slaughtered according to Jewish law.
✔ Rastafarianism –
• Pork is forbidden.
• Many follow an “Ital” diet, meaning natural, unprocessed food.
✔ Sikhism –
• Some Sikhs follow a vegetarian diet.
• Halal and kosher meat are often not eaten.
Ethical and Moral Beliefs
✔ Vegetarians and Vegans – People avoid meat for ethical, environmental, or health reasons.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarians – Eat dairy and eggs but avoid meat.
• Lacto vegetarians – Eat dairy but avoid eggs and meat.
• Ovo vegetarians – Eat eggs but avoid dairy and meat.
• Vegans – Avoid all animal products.
✔ Animal welfare – Some people only buy free-range meat, eggs, and dairy to avoid supporting factory farming.
✔ Local produce – Some choose locally sourced food to support farmers and reduce carbon footprint.
✔ Organic food – Grown without artificial pesticides or fertilizers, often considered healthier and better for the environment.
Consumer Information, Food Labelling, and Marketing
✔ Food labelling – Helps people make informed choices about nutrition, allergens, and origin.
✔ Marketing and advertising –
• Supermarkets use special offers, branding, and promotions to influence buying habits.
• Celebrity endorsements and social media can affect food trends.
