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Cross-sectional determinants of lactose-free food awareness and purchase among adult consumers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2023

Birsen Yılmaz*
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Çukurova University, Sarıçam, Adana, 01380, Türkiye
Duygu Ağagündüz
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Gazi University, Emek, Ankara 06490, Türkiye Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Istanbul Aydın University, Istanbul, 34295, Türkiye
Z. Begum Kalyoncu Atasoy
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Istanbul Aydın University, Istanbul, 34295, Türkiye Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Atilim University, İncek, Ankara 06830, Türkiye
Neslihan Yeşilyurt
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Gazi University, Emek, Ankara 06490, Türkiye
Şule Ergin
Affiliation:
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Gazi University, Emek, Ankara 06490, Türkiye
Naci Murat
Affiliation:
Department of Industrial Engineering, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, 55270, Türkiye
*
Author for correspondence: Birsen Yilmaz, Email: dytbirsen@gmail.com

Abstract

This research was conducted to evaluate the knowledge and purchasing behaviour of consumers regarding lactose-free foods. Study data were collected from 1882 individuals with the help of a questionnaire form. Attitudes towards animal welfare, healthy nutrition and gastrointestinal symptoms were also evaluated. The majority (86.6%) of the participants reported that they had heard of the concept of lactose-free foods before, but more than half (67.0%) did not report buying them because of their higher costs compared to regular products and lack of sufficient information. Not causing gas/bloating (32.5%) and being healthier (28.3%) were shown to be the most significant motivational factors in purchasing lactose-free foods (P < 0.05). The factors affecting purchase of lactose-free products were education, employment status, history of having a food intolerance test and animal welfare perception together with higher scores from the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale, and attitude scale for healthy nutrition (P < 0.05). Body mass index was not found to be an effective factor determining purchase intention. The results provide a general overview of consumers, however, further studies on other demographic groups are needed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Hannah Dairy Research Foundation

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