This paper developed a taxonomy of determinants of food consumption behavior, based on a review of the food literature. The determinants were categorized as related to the food, the person, and the environment. A large number of disciplines has studied the influence of various determinants of food consumption behavior. This research has yielded important insights into the role of factors as diverse as age, satiety capacity of foods, and cultural taboos, which were reviewed in this paper. However, most of the research tends to be partial, typically concentrating on a single factor or a couple of related factors. Repeatedly, it has been pointed out that food consumption determinants interact, and that a comprehensive approach would add considerably to our understanding of food consumption behavior. However, there is a lack of research that takes a broad approach, aimed at integrating determinants from several categories. Developing such a research program is a major challenge for food consumption behavior research in the future. It is believed that the discipline of consumer behavior can play a key role in this programmatic research, given its interdisciplinary background. Consumer behavior researchers can contribute to at least four interdiciplinary research issues.
First, future research should investigate how physical characteristics of the product and social/cultural factors jointly shape perceptions of foods. This involves an extension of the psychophysical model to include social psychophysical cues as well. Research along these lines is of great importance for new product development as it links marketing, R&D, and food technology, thus increasing the chances of a successful product introduction (cf. Hauser and Simmie 1981).
Second, the interaction between cognitive and cultural factors and physiologically-induced effects needs research attention. It will be important in determining the demand for and effectiveness of low-calorie products, and dieting programs in general. Third, physiological influences may act as situational variables in consumer behavior (cf. Belk 1975), and interact with other determinants in shaping food perceptions. For example, consumers tend to buy more when they are hungry than when they are satiated. Physiological factors also affect psychophysical relations (see Huber, Holbrook, and Schiffman 1982 for one of the few marketing studies). Despite the obvious implications (e.g., retail environment, sport drinks), interactions involving physiological factors have not received much attention by consumer behavior researchers. A fourth research issue concerns cross-cultural research on determinants of food consumption behavior. For rigorous testing of consumer behavior paradigms, and for effective marketing of foods, it is important to have insight into similarities and differences between consumers in different countries.