Exploring The Influencing Factors of Dietary Transition Towards Vegetarianism in Korea's Southern Provinces
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38043/jimb.v9i1.5034Keywords:
Consumer Behaviour, Environment, Ethical-Animal Welfare, Health and VegetarianismAbstract
This study examines the determinants that impact consumer decision-making in relation to vegetarian diets in several regions of South Korean provinces. The study investigates the relationship between vegetarianism (dependent variable) and many explanatory variables, including ethical-animal welfare, health, environment, social issues, mood-emotion, and religious beliefs. Logistic regression analysis was conducted using Likert scale data collected from 264 respondents. The findings indicate that health, ethical considerations regarding animal welfare, and environmental concerns are important factors that influence the choice to adopt a vegetarian diet. It suggests that overseas students in Korea are increasingly conscious of and interested in health, ethical, and sustainable dietary options. Furthermore, the selection of a vegetarian diet is significantly influenced by health considerations, suggesting that persons who prioritise their well-being are more likely to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle. Religious views, emotion, and gender exert different levels of effect on the choice to adopt a vegetarian diet. The results of this study have consequences for how consumers behave, as well as for marketing managers and decision-makers. Businesses in the food business, especially, can gain advantages by catering to the demands and preferences of consumers who prioritise ethical and animal welfare principles, as well as those who value health and environmental sustainability. Implementing and promoting vegetarian and vegan choices in nearby eateries can efficiently appeal to and cater to this particular target audience.
Downloads
References
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179-211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Bratanova, B., Loughnan, S., & Bastian, B. (2011). The effect of categorization as food on the perceived moral standing of animals. Appetite, 57, 193196.
D'Souza, C., Brouwer, A. R., & Singaraju, S. (2022). Veganism: Theory of planned behaviour, ethical concerns and the moderating role of catalytic experiences. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 66, 102952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.102952
Duncan, I. J. H. (2005). Science-based assessment of animal welfare: farm animals. Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada. UK: Google Scholar.
Erdos, L. (2015). Veganism versus meat-eating, and the myth of root capacity: A response to Hsiao. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 28, 11391144.
Fessler, D. M. T., Arguello, A. P., Mekdara, J. M., & Macias, R. (2003). Disgust sensitivity and meat consumption: A test of an emotivist account of moral vegetarianism. Appetite, 41, 312321. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0195-6663(03)00037-0
Fox, M. A. (1999). The contribution of vegetarianism to ecosystem health. Ecosystem Health, 5(2), 70-74. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-0992.1999.09910.x
Fox, N., & Ward, K. (2008). Health, ethics and environment: A qualitative study of vegetarian motivations. Appetite, 50(2), 422429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2007.09.007
Fox, N., & Ward, K. J. (2008). You are what you eat? Vegetarianism, health and identity. Social Science & Medicine, 66, 25852595.
Goldberg, M., Carton, M., Descatha, A., Leclerc, A., Roquelaure, Y., Santin, G., Zins, M., & CONSTANCES Team. (2016). CONSTANCES: A general prospective population-based cohort for occupational and environmental epidemiology: Cohort profile. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 74(1), 6671. https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2016-103678
Haddad, E. H., & Tanzman, J. S. (2003). What do vegetarians in the United States eat? American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78(Supplement 3), 626S632S.
Hibbeln, J. R., Northstone, K., Evans, J., & Golding, J. (2018). Vegetarian diets and depressive symptoms among men. Journal of Affective Disorders, 225, 1317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2017.07.051
Hirschler, C. A. (2011). What pushed me over the edge was a deer hunter: Being vegan in North America. Society & Animals, 19(2), 156174. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853011X562999
Hoek, A. C., Luning, P. A., Stafleu, A., & de Graaf, C. (2004). Food-related lifestyle and health attitudes of Dutch vegetarians, non-vegetarian consumers of meat substitutes, and meat consumers. Appetite, 42(3), 265-272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2003.12.003
Hsiao, T. (2015). In defense of eating meat. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 28, 277291.
Jabs, J., Devine, C. M., & Sobal, J. (1998). Model of the process of adopting vegetarian diets: Health vegetarians and ethical vegetarians. Journal of Nutrition Education, 30(4), 196-202. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3182(98)70319-X
Joy, M. (2011). Why we love dogs, eat pigs, and wear cows: An introduction to carnism. Red Wheel.
Joyce, A., Dixon, S., Comfort, J., & Hallett, J. (2012). Reducing the environmental impact of dietary choice: Perspectives from a behavioral and social change approach. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2012, Article ID 978672, 7 pages. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/978672
Kalof, L., Dietz, T., Stern, P. C., & Guagnano, G. A. (1999). Social psychological and structural influences on vegetarian beliefs. Rural Sociology, 64(3), 500-511. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1549-0831.1999.tb00364.x
Key, T., Appleby, P. N., & Rosell, M. S. (2006). Health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 65, 3541. https://doi.org/10.1079/PNS2005481
Kim, H. J., & Houser, R. F. (1999). Two small surveys, 25 years apart, investigating motivations of dietary choice in 2 groups of vegetarians in the Boston area. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 99, 598601. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8223(99)00147-9
Kim, K. H., McIntosh, W. A., Kubena, K. S., & Sobal, J. (2008). Religion, social support, food-related social support, diet, nutrition, and anthropometrics in older adults. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 47(3), 205-228. https://doi.org/10.1080/03670240802035068
Larsson, C. L., Klock, K. S., Astrm, A. N., Haugejorden, O., & Johansson, G. (2002). Lifestyle-related characteristics of young low-meat consumers and omnivores in Sweden and Norway. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31(2), 190198. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1054-139X(02)00344-0
Lea, E. J., Crawford, D., & Worsley, A. (2006). Public views of the benefits and barriers to the consumption of a plant-based diet. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 60(7), 828837.
Lea, E., Worsley, A., & Crawford, D. (2005). Australian adult consumers beliefs about plant foods: A qualitative study. Health Education and Behavior, 32(6), 795808.
Lindeman, M., & Vaananen, M. (2000). Measurement of ethical food choice motives. Appetite, 34(1), 55-59. https://doi.org/10.1006/appe.1999.0293
Loughnan, S., Bratanova, B., & Puvia, E. (2011). The meat paradox: How are we able to love animals and love eating animals. Mind Italia, 1, 1518.
Mylan, J. (2018). Sustainable consumption in everyday life: A qualitative study of UK consumer experiences of meat reduction. Sustainability, 10(7), 2307. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072307
Nezlek, J. B., & Forestell, C. A. (2020). Vegetarianism as a social identity. Current Opinion in Food Science, 33, 4551.
Nezlek, J. B., Cypryanska, M., & Forestell, C. A. (2020). Dietary similarity of friends and lovers: Vegetarianism, omnivorism, and personal relationships. The Journal of Social Psychology, 160(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2019.1705888
Ngo, V. Q. T., Vo, T. A. D., Ngo, A. P., Nguyen, D. M. A., Le, M. T., To, T. P. L., & Nguyen, T. T. P. (2021). Factors influencing consumer's decision on vegetarian diets in Vietnam. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 8(2), 485
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Okechukwu Enyeribe Njoku, Kim Hyun Ok, Kim Gwi Gon, Ni Made Dhian Rani Yulianti
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
