Analysis of Market Segmentation and Differences in Dining Out Behavior according to Healthy Lifestyle

Just as being healthy is essential for enjoying a pleasant dining-out experience, a healthy lifestyle enables consumers to leverage their health to achieve various life goals. This study aimed to classify consumers based on their healthy lifestyle characteristics using data from the 2023 Food Consumption Behavior Survey and to identify demographic traits and differences in dining-out behavior across segmented markets. A healthy lifestyle was evaluated using nine variables: healthy dietary competence, interest in weight control, meal portion control for weight management, regular exercise habits, interest in health management, subjective health status, regularity of meal times, breakfast status, and drinking frequency. A total of 5,811 valid samples from adult household members were analyzed using K-means cluster analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, cross-tabulation analysis, and one-way ANOVA. Cluster analysis segmented consumers into three groups based on health behavior characteristics: the 'Healthy Food Group,' characterized by maintaining health through regular and healthy eating habits; the 'Weight Control Group,' focused on weight management through meal portion control and regular exercise; and the 'No Interest Group,' defined by a lack of engagement in health-related behaviors. Statistically significant differences were observed among the groups in terms of demographic characteristics, food-related lifestyles, and dining-out behaviors. As the consumer market focused on a healthy lifestyle is expected to grow continuously, there is a need to develop innovative and health-oriented restaurant menus and services to meet evolving consumer needs.