Perceived healthfulness, nutrient content awareness, consumption, and intention to purchase selected ultraprocessed products among adults in South Africa
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Date
2025
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Publisher
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the perceived healthfulness, nutrient content awareness, consumption, and intention to purchase selected ultraprocessed products (UPP) and their sociodemographic determinants. Design: Cross-sectional study involving secondary data analysis. Setting: This study was conducted in all nine provinces of South Africa. Participants: In total, 1951 adults (18–50 years), with 63.5% females and 66.3% from low socioeconomic group. Methods: Participants were shown A4 images of mock-branded UPP, with no nutrition information provided. Questions asked were based on the images to determine the nutrient content awareness, healthfulness perception, consumption frequency, and intention to purchase the UPP based on sociodemographic characteristics. Analysis: Descriptive statistics were conducted for nutrient content awareness, perceived healthfulness, consumption, and intention to purchase UPP. Associations with sociodemographic variables were determined using regression analyses: logistic regression for perceived healthfulness and nutrient content awareness, ordinary least square regression for UPP consumption, and intention to purchase was modeled as a latent variable in a multiple indicators multiple cause (MIMIC) model. Results: Over a third of participants (41.8%) were not aware that fruit juice is high in sugar. Only 13% of the participants perceived fruit juice as unhealthy and more than 50% showed the intention to purchase fruit juice, cereals, and yoghurt in the future. More than 50% reported consuming most UPP either daily or weekly. Perceived healthfulness was associated with gender, while UPP consumption was associated with education, age, gender, and being unemployed. Intention to purchase UPP was the only variable associated with socioeconomic status. Conclusion and Implications: Intervention strategies such as simplified front-of-pack labeling may have a role in improving nutrition awareness and discouraging UPP consumption.
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Keywords
healthfulness, ultraprocessed products, secondary data analysis, nutrition information, improving nutrition awareness
Citation
Bopape, M., De Man, J., Taillie, L.S. and Swart, R., 2025. Perceived Healthfulness, Nutrient Content Awareness, Consumption, and Intention to Purchase Selected Ultraprocessed Products Among Adults in South Africa. Advances in Public Health, 2025(1), p.5596662.