Eating habits, food preparation and food purchasing habits of successful, obese and normal weight people.

Abstract

The eating habits, food preparation and food purchasing habits of successful*, obese and normal weight subjects were investigated in this study. A total of four hundred ninety-seven subjects participated in the study and a sixty-four-item questionnaire was utilized to evaluate eating habits, food preparation and food purchasing habits. A one-way between subjects analysis of variance was employed to examine possible significant differences. The Scheffe test, a multiple comparison test, was employed to identify specific differences between the groups. A T test was also employed to calculate differences between paired groups for each individual item. The results of the analysis of variance revealed significant differences in food preparation and food purchasing habits when (*Successful refers to those subjects formerly in a weight reduction program who successfully lost weight) comparing the successful, obese and normal weight groups. Further analysis identified significant differences between the successful and obese groups in their food purchasinq habits. When comparing paired responses to each item, analyses revealed the following: significant differences occurred in 21.9 percent of the responses when comparing. obese and normal subjects: significant differences occurred in 23.4 percent of the responses when comparing successful and obese subjects: and significant differences occurred in 42.2 percent of the responses when comparing successful and normal subjects. It was concluded that differences existed in the food preparation and food purchasing habits of successful, obese and normal weight subjects, particularly between successful and obese subjects. It was recommended that further research include such variables as age, sex and level of education, as well as subjects chosen from different diet institutions. It was also suggested that future research give more attention to food preparation and purchasing habits.