Effort, eating and everyday life: age differences in the value of food convenience

Food convenience—valuing reductions in time and effort—has been linked to mixed psychological outcomes. This study explored associations between the prioritization of food convenience, life satisfaction, and psychological distress, with attention to age differences. We conducted a secondary analysis of a 2021 web-based survey in Japan (N = 51,510; ages ≥ 15 years). Hierarchical multiple regression assessed main effects of food convenience values and their interactions with age (linear, quadratic, cubic) on life satisfaction and psychological distress. Among younger participants, higher prioritization of food convenience appeared to be associated with greater life satisfaction (B = −0.03, 99% CI [−0.04, −0.02], p < .000). Prioritizing food convenience showed positive associations with psychological distress across age groups in this sample (B = 0.89, 99% CI [0.79, 0.98], p < .000). Highlighting the often-overlooked role of “effort” in food-related behaviors, this study suggests that age may condition links between food convenience and psychological well-being and may provide baseline evidence for subsequent longitudinal and experimental research on mechanisms and age-responsive supports.