Uncovering Determinant Factors in Food Choice

This research examines the factors that matter most to people when making a food choice. The hypothesis states that people prioritize factors of nutrition and taste over others in their food choice. One hundred thirteen undergraduate participants (85 females; 27 males; 1 prefer not to say) completed a self-report survey online, which included rating the importance of each factor when making a food choice on a Likert scale from 1 to 7 (1 = not important at all; 4 =neither; 7 =extremely important) and indicating how the 18 factors, to different extents, are important to them when making a food choice. Based on the repeated measures ANOVA test, students rated “Tasty” and “Nutrition” as the top factors valued when making a food choice and did not prioritize any environmental-related factors. It is also noteworthy that demographic factors, except for motivation, did not predispose participants’ food choice. The findings are consistent with the quasi-experiment using within-subject design on the prioritization of factors in food choice. Utilizing an environmentally sustainable approach, there should be greater emphasis and action on educating UBC students on food sustainability and the importance of environmentally-friendly food. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”Arts, Faculty ofPsychology, Department ofUnreviewedUndergraduat