Analysis of Consumers’ Perception of the Effects on Consuming Food According to Consumer Characteristics

This study analyzes consumers' perceptions of the health effects of consuming each food product according to consumer characteristics. The analysis includes 12 food groups, examining the perceived health impact of each food and comparing the results according to consumer characteristics. Ordered logistic regression models are used for the analysis.The analysis revealed that female consumers perceive vegetables to have a more beneficial impact on health compared to male consumers, while their perception of the health benefits of meat and processed foods is lower. As consumer age increased, the health perception of vegetables, mixed grains, beef, eggs, and seafood improved. High－income consumers generally showed a decrease in health perception across most food categories. Furthermore, consumers who prioritize safety in their consumption patterns perceived processed food intake as having a negative impact on health. Consumers who value the utilization of nutrition facts labels showed a decreased health perception towards foods such as rice and mixed grains, where checking the nutrition facts label is difficult. Consumers with dieting experience perceived beef and chicken to have a positive impact on health, while rice is perceived to have a negative impact on health.