A Study on Junior High School Students’ Cognition, Attitudes and Consuming Behavior towards Food Labeling – The Case Study of a Junior High School in Taoyuan City

• Main Authors: Ming-tsung Weng, 翁銘聰
• Other Authors: Chung-yih Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/j7z93c

碩士 === 大同大學 === 生物工程學系(所) === 103 === In recent years, many food safety incidents, including plasticizers in food, fake soy sauce, toxic starch, inferior mixed rice, gutter oil and the current Japanese food products from Fukushima impacted Taiwan one by one. The food safety issues severely damage consumers' confidence and lead to a great deal of panic and insecurity. Facing all these awful problems, it’s important to understand the attitude of customers regarding reading the information on the food labeling, which includes ingredient statements, nutrition facts, expiration date, food additives and genetically modified foods when purchasing packaged food products. The purposes of this study were to investigate junior high school students’cognition, attitudes towards food labeling of packaged foods and cunsuming behavior. Quantitative questionnaires and random sampling were used in surveying students (from the seventh graders to the ninth graders) in Taoyuan Junior School. The questionnaires in this research included “food labeling cognition”,“food Labeling attitudes”and“food labeling cunsuming behavior.” A total of valid 253 survey questionnaires were collected. Data was statistically analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis. The results of the study are shown as summarized: 1. Over fifty percent of the students shop for packaged foods two to four times per week and the average expense per week is no more than $100. Besides, they prefer buying Onigiri (rice balls) and beverages. 2. Girls have positive attitudes and better consuming behavior than boys. 3. The ninth graders have better cognitive understandings, more positive attitudes and consuming behavior than the seventh graders or the eighth graders. 4.“Food labelling cognition” has a positive correlation with “food labeling attitudes.”That means when students have more cognitive understandings in food labelling, they react with more positive attitudes. 5.“Food labeling attitudes” has a positive correlation with “food labeling consuming behavior.” That is to say, when students have more positive attitudes towards food labeling, they react with more positive behavior. 6. However, “Food labeling cognition” has no significant correlation with “food labeling consuming behavior.” According to the conclusions, some recommendations were suggested for the relevant organizations. 1. We recommend educational institutions to enhance students' cognition on food labeling. 2. We also recommend food-related industry to mark adequate food label information on the packaging of food. 3. Finally, we hope the government can strengthen norms and industries can also improve self-management.