Dietary strategies and uptake of reduced fat foods

This research has sought to identify factors determining consumer uptake and rejection of reduced fat foods. Initial qualitative research implied that use of reduced fat products could be dependent upon which dietary health strategies people adopt. This analysis therefore explores the degree to which various dietary strategies predict uptake of reduced fat products.

Items were derived from prior qualitative findings and responses to relevant issues surveyed by interview (n = 1004) within selected retail outlets throughout Northern Ireland and England.

Logistic regression analysis indicated that concern over health, drive to reduce calorie consumption, to increase intake of fish and poultry and fruit and vegetables consistently predicted consumption across a range of reduced fat products. These dietary strategies appeared to predict uptake of reduced fat foods to a greater degree than perceived taste or price.

The findings imply that for reduced fat foods to achieve universal acceptance promotional messages need to be translated into commonly adopted dietary health strategies.