| This cross-sectional survey research was designed to study food consumption behavior of consumers in Khunhan District, Srisaket. The Engel model was applied as a conceptual framework. Six hundred and eighty-nine subjects were selected by stratified random sampling. The data collected by interviewing were entered into SPSS for windows (version 15.0) and analyzed for percentage distribution, arithmetic means, and standard deviation. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was also conducted.
The results revealed that the subjects had an intermediate level of knowledge, attitude, and awareness regarding food sanitation and the danger of food flavorings and contaminants. Also, they had an intermediate level of food consumption behavior. Three independent variables= educational level, average monthly income, and awareness of food sanitation and the danger of food flavorings and contaminants, were positively correlated with food consumption behavior at a significance level. The variables were ranked according to their degree of correlation as follows= awareness of sanitation and the danger of food flavorings and contaminants (r=0.636), educational level (r=0.561), average monthly income (r=0.523), respectively. In addition, another independent variable-food supply source was negatively correlated with the consumption behavior at a significance level but with the lowest degree of correlation strength (r=-0.487). These four variables correctly predicted the food consumption behavior with a 36.4 percent accuracy. |