Table 5 Level of public concern for food related issues by demographic characteristicsa
Food related issue | Sex (n = 2398) | Age group (years) (n = 2398) | SES (n = 2377) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Male | Female | P-value | 18–24 | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45–54 | 55–65 | P-value | Low | Mid | High | P-value | |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | ||||
The amount of sugar in food | |||||||||||||
 Very or extremely concerned | 53.6 | 63.9 | <0.001 | 43.8 | 55.3 | 58.6 | 58.0 | 71.6 | <0.001 | 54.4 | 57.5 | 64.8 | <0.001 |
 Somewhat concerned | 32.0 | 29.0 |  | 36.3 | 31.0 | 31.5 | 34.0 | 22.9 |  | 30.6 | 32.9 | 28.1 |  |
 Not at all or not very concerned | 14.4 | 7.1 |  | 19.9 | 13.7 | 9.9 | 8.0 | 5.5 |  | 15.0 | 9.6 | 7.1 |  |
The amount of saturated fat in food | |||||||||||||
 Very or extremely concerned | 53.5 | 64.0 | <0.001 | 47.0 | 54.9 | 56.6 | 59.0 | 71.4 | <0.001 | 56.3 | 58.2 | 62.9 | 0.013 |
 Somewhat concerned | 31.9 | 28.1 |  | 35.5 | 30.9 | 32.8 | 31.7 | 22.0 |  | 30.4 | 31.9 | 27.9 |  |
 Not at all or not very concerned | 14.6 | 7.9 |  | 17.5 | 14.2 | 10.6 | 9.3 | 6.6 |  | 13.3 | 9.9 | 9.2 |  |
Healthy eating | |||||||||||||
 Very or extremely concerned | 44.1 | 59.9 | <0.001 | 48.6 | 55.1 | 47.3 | 51.4 | 59.6 | <0.001 | 45.2 | 49.5 | 61.1 | <0.001 |
 Somewhat concerned | 40.3 | 31.2 |  | 39.0 | 30.9 | 38.5 | 37.4 | 32.5 |  | 39.6 | 37.5 | 30.7 |  |
 Not at all or not very concerned | 15.6 | 8.9 |  | 12.4 | 14.0 | 14.2 | 11.3 | 7.9 |  | 15.2 | 13.0 | 8.2 |  |
The amount of fat in food | |||||||||||||
 Very or extremely concerned | 46.4 | 54.3 | <0.001 | 42.2 | 47.1 | 47.8 | 51.6 | 59.9 | <0.001 | 50.2 | 49.8 | 52.7 | 0.366 |
 Somewhat concerned | 37.2 | 34.2 |  | 34.3 | 34.4 | 39.1 | 37.3 | 32.2 |  | 35.3 | 35.4 | 35.4 |  |
 Not at all or not very concerned | 16.4 | 11.5 |  | 23.5 | 18.5 | 13.1 | 11.1 | 7.9 |  | 14.5 | 14.8 | 11.9 |  |
The amount of salt in food | |||||||||||||
 Very or extremely concerned | 41.8 | 51.1 | <0.001 | 30.3 | 42.2 | 43.6 | 46.9 | 61.5 | <0.001 | 45.4 | 45.5 | 49.7 | 0.014 |
 Somewhat concerned | 40.3 | 34.9 |  | 41.8 | 39.4 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 30.4 |  | 35.5 | 38.9 | 37.2 |  |
 Not at all or not very concerned | 17.9 | 14.0 |  | 27.9 | 18.4 | 17.5 | 14.0 | 8.1 |  | 19.1 | 15.6 | 13.1 |  |
The amount of kilojoules/cal in food | |||||||||||||
 Very or extremely concerned | 38.1 | 40.5 | 0.058 | 32.3 | 43.2 | 37.9 | 35.4 | 44.3 | <0.001 | 37.0 | 36.1 | 43.9 | 0.001 |
 Somewhat concerned | 37.8 | 39.4 |  | 35.8 | 32.2 | 41.0 | 41.8 | 40.7 |  | 37.8 | 40.9 | 37.7 |  |
 Not at all or not very concerned | 24.1 | 20.1 |  | 31.9 | 24.6 | 21.1 | 22.8 | 15.0 |  | 25.2 | 23.0 | 18.4 |  |