Refereed journal article or data article (A1)
The role of sugar products and non-alcoholic beverages in the food budget: change across birth cohorts and between socio-economic groups
List of Authors: Kähäri Antti
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
Publication year: 2021
Journal: British Food Journal
Journal acronym: Br Food J.
Volume number: 123
Issue number: 13
Start page: 142
End page: 161
eISSN: 0007-070X
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2020-1109
URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/BFJ-12-2020-1109/full/html
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/57344542
Purpose
This study investigates how the consumption of sugar products and non-alcoholic beverages has changed across birth cohorts. In addition, this study examines how the socio-economic gaps in the consumption of said products have evolved across birth cohorts.
Design/methodology/approach
The research data are drawn from the Finnish household expenditure surveys covering the period 1985–2016 ( n = 44,286). An age-period-cohort methodology is utilised through the age-period-cohort-trended lag model. The model assumes that the linear long-term component of change is caused by generations replacing one-another, and that the age effect is similar across cohorts.
Findings
Sugar products and non-alcoholic beverages occupied a larger portion of more recent birth cohorts' food baskets. Cohort differences were larger in beverage consumption. Lower income was associated with a higher food expenditure share of sugar products in several cohorts. A higher education level was linked to a higher food expenditure share of sugar products in more cohorts than a lower education level. In cohorts born before the 1950s, non-alcoholic beverages occupied a larger portion of the food baskets of the high socio-economic status groups. This gap reversed over time, leading to larger food expenditure shares of non-alcoholic beverages in low socio-economic status groups.
Originality/value
This study assessed how the consumption of sugar products and non-alcoholic beverages has changed across birth cohorts. In addition, this study assessed how socio-economic differences in the consumption of said products have changed. The results highlight that sugar products and non-alcoholic beverages occupy larger portions of more recent birth cohorts’ food baskets. The results also highlight a reversal of socioeconomic differences in non-alcoholic beverage consumption.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |