© 2000 by European Journal of Public Health
METHODS |
Social class differences in food consumption
The explanatory value of permissiveness and health and cost considerations
CHRISTIANNE L.H. HUPKENS1,, RONALD A. KNIBBE1 and MARIA J. DROP11Department of Medical Sociology, Maastricht University Maastricht, The Netherlands
Correspondence: Dr. Christianne Hupkens, Statistics Netherlands, P.O. Box 4481, 6401 CZ Heerlen, The Netherlands
Background: Middle-class people generally have healthier diets than lower-class people. Considerations that underlie choices of foodstuffs may explain this class difference in eating habits. Qualitative studies on food beliefs show that lower-class mothers consider health less frequently in their choice of food, while they take the preferences of family members and expenses more often into account than their middle-class counterparts. In this paper quantitative survey data are used to explore the explanatory power of these factors. Methods: Data on 849 women living with a partner and at least one child in three European cities (Maastricht, The Netherlands, Liège, Belgium and Aachen, Germany) were analysed. Results: Regarding food consumption, most but not all class differences were in line with expectations. Class differences in food choice considerations corresponded with the findings of other studies. Middle-class mothers were less permissive and they considered health more often and costs less often than lower-class mothers. However, regression analyses indicated that these considerations scarcely explain class patterns in food consumption. Conclusions: This study shows that social class differences in food consumption are hardly explained by permissiveness, health or cost considerations.
Keywords: costs, food consumption, health considerations, permissiveness, social class
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  S. R. Govil, G. Weidner, T. Merritt-Worden, and D. Ornish Socioeconomic Status and Improvements in Lifestyle, Coronary Risk Factors, and Quality of Life: The Multisite Cardiac Lifestyle Intervention Program Am J Public Health, July 1, 2009; 99(7): 1263 - 1270. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 K. Ball, A. MacFarlane, D. Crawford, G. Savige, N. Andrianopoulos, and A. Worsley Can social cognitive theory constructs explain socio-economic variations in adolescent eating behaviours? A mediation analysis Health Educ. Res., June 1, 2009; 24(3): 496 - 506. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. Darmon and A. Drewnowski Does social class predict diet quality? Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2008; 87(5): 1107 - 1117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Maillot, N. Darmon, F. Vieux, and A. Drewnowski Low energy density and high nutritional quality are each associated with higher diet costs in French adults Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, September 1, 2007; 86(3): 690 - 696. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. C. Iversen and P. Kraft Does socio-economic status and health consciousness influence how women respond to health related messages in media? Health Educ. Res., October 1, 2006; 21(5): 601 - 610. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. A. Vereecken, J. Inchley, S.V. Subramanian, A. Hublet, and L. Maes The relative influence of individual and contextual socio-economic status on consumption of fruit and soft drinks among adolescents in Europe Eur J Public Health, June 1, 2005; 15(3): 224 - 232. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. O'Neill, D. Rebane, and C. Lester Barriers to healthier eating in a disadvantaged community Health Education Journal, January 1, 2004; 63(3): 220 - 228. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Leganger and P. Kraft Control Constructs: Do They Mediate the Relation between Educational Attainment and Health Behaviour? J Health Psychol, May 1, 2003; 8(3): 361 - 372. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|