Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Consumption of Selected Food Nutrients in the United States

Abstract

Abstract The impacts of socioeconomic characteristics of the household and its constituents on consumption of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin A, calcium, iron, thiamine, and vitamin C were estimated. Data from 6,950 households located in the contiguous states were utilized to specify consumption relationships. Socioeconomic factors considered were: income, degree of urbanization, race, educational attainment of the homemaker, stage of the household in the family life cycle, family size, meal adjustment, and employment status of the homemaker. Income had a positive impact on the consumption of all nutrients except carbohydrate. However, nutrient consumption responsiveness to income was relatively small.