Social and economic factors that influence the elderly population beef
consumption
Maykell Leite da Costa
Master student of Rural Extension
Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Address: Mal. Floriano Peixoto Street, 1750, room 621A, Centro. Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
CEP: 97015-372. E-mail: maykellcosta@gmail.com.
Aline Zulian
Undergraduate student of Economics
Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Address: Acampamento Street, 340, ap. 31, Centro. Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. CEP: 97050002. E-mail: alinezulian@hotmail.com.
Andréa Cristina Dörr
Economist, Associate Professor
Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Address: Cel. Anibal Garcia Barão Street, 148, ap. 401, Dores. Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. CEP:
97050-140. E-mail: andreadoerr@yahoo.com.br.
Jackeline Karsten Kirinus
Doctor Veterinary, doctoral student of Program of Science y Tecnology of Foods (UFSM)
University Federal of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. Brazil.
Adress: José Danguy Pacheco Street, 789, Pé-de-Platano, Camobi. Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
CP 97110-400. E_mail: jackeline.kirinus@gmail.com
José Laerte Nörnberg
Doctor Veterinary, Associate Professor
University Federal of Santa Maria (UFSM)
Address: The Integrated Development of Laboratory Analysis (NIDAL)
City Universitary. Avenue Roraima, nº 1000. CP 97.105-900. Santa Maria-RS
Email: jlnornberg@gmail.com
Abstract
Brazil’s one of the world’s largest producers of beef and has shown an increasing
consumption. This increment is attributed to factors such as changes in dietary habits and
socioeconomic conditions. However, few studies exist on – in terms of socioeconomic – meat
consumption by the elderly. The objective was to assess how economic and social
characteristics influence the eating habits of the elderly population. Structured forms were
applied to a 138-elderly-sample in the municipality of Santa Maria-RS. It was concluded that
to increase the consumption of beef in this segment, it’s necessary to emphasize the marketing
of products softness and better taste.
Keywords: consumer behavior; elderly; eating habit; beef.
1. Introduction
Brazil is a major global producer of animal protein and addresses much of its
production to the domestic market. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and
Supply (Mapa, 2011), considering the Brazilian meat production (beef, pork and poultry) in
2010, which was estimated at 24.5 million tons, 75% was consumed domestically in the
country. More exclusively related to the cattle industry, this is one of the major activities of
Brazilian’s agribusiness in the world scene. This result is due to the fact that Brazil is
responsible for the second largest effective herd in the world with approximately 200 million
units, behind India (Fao, 2011). In 2008, on average, 59% of the country was considered by
the Epizootics International Organization (OIE, as in Portuguese), free of FMD; and the states
of southern Brazil are characterized by presenting the less prevalence of brucellosis and
tuberculosis in animals (Mapa, 2011).
According to Mapa (2011), “this year, the meat per capita consumption has increased
over the previous year reaching 37.4 kg for beef.” In 2009 the per capita consumption was 32
kg, which represents an increase of 16.8%. The increase in consumption occurs due to many
factors; Schlindwein and Kassouf (2006) argue that the eating habit changes in a general way
and more specifically, in food, are explained in large part by the socioeconomic and
demographic changes taking place in Brazil. In the Brazilian case, variables such as income
level, urbanization, women's education and family composition are crucial to the meat
consumption (Schlindwein and Kassouf, 2006). Delgado et al. (2006) assessed the perception
of different beef cuts and measured the importance of meat’s taste in relation to quality
according to sex, age, and consumers’ formal education and income level. Najas et al. (1994)
conducted a study in order to meet the dietary patterns of the elderly residents from different
socioeconomic backgrounds in São Paulo city.
Therefore, due to the lack of work in this area, the objective of this study was to
evaluate how the economic and social characteristics influence the eating habits of the elderly
population.
2. Theoretical Foundation
2.1 Consumer behavior
According to Kotler (1998), “the area of consumer behavior studies how individuals,
groups and organizations select, buy, use and have services, ideas or experiences to satisfy
their needs and desires”. At the company level which intends to sell the product, to have their
consumers profile and the factors that are taken into account when the purchase is made is of
the utmost importance to customer satisfaction and consequently to the enterprise success.
Thus, a key factor in ensuring the organization success and competitiveness is to know
exactly what consumers prefer, how they make their buying decisions, and how they make
use of the offered products (Sheth et al., 2001).
The consumer - at the time of purchase - can be influenced either by external or
internal factors to the consumption environment. The variables representing external
influences are the family, social class in which such individual is part of or want to achieve,
the culture and reference groups that influence that individual; while the internal influences
present either abstract or psychological features related to subjects motivation by product
purchase, perception, learning level, consumer’s attitudes and personality (Mazzuchetti and
Batalha, 2004).
It is known that beef is of great importance as a protein source and that it is part of the
main items in the population consumption basket. However, consumption depends on factors
such as consumer’ age, taste, purchasing power, the product’s final price, among others.
According to Mazzuchetti and Batalha (2004), the consumption is influenced by the income,
education level, age, pattern mobility, and consumer taste.
Another important factor that should be taken into account in the differentiation of the
consumers’ profile is the demographics. The age groups, according to Lima Filho et al.
(2004), have different preferences, so that during the evolutionary cycle, consumer tends to
change his consumption habits.
2.2 The elderly consumption habits
The population aging – persons aged 60 years in developing countries, and aged 65
and older in developed countries – according to the World Health Organization, has generated
more attention from government authorities in several countries. In Brazil, participation
growth is occurring in the population share aged 65 years and older, rising from 4.8% in 1991
to 5.9% in 2000 and reaching 7.4% in 2010 (IBGE, 2010).
Over time, the individual begins to change his eating habits according to his body
needs and structure. Rodrigues and Diogo (2010) cite several factors that interfere with the
elderly feeding, among them: the body change in the food digestion, cultural and religious
habits, psychological factors, health problems, and economic factors.
Some works in the area identified the family influence in the elderly eating habits.
Casotti (2002) says that family members represent a reference in the consumption pattern, and
the elderly consider the meal time an integration form among family members. Najas et al.
(1994) concluded that the dietary information shows that the elderly people have the same
food pattern as other population groups with regard to food energy, but differ in protein and
regulators.
Relvas (2006) through empirical research with the elderly observed that there is a
health concern (combining exercise with nutritional and medical advice), but sometimes the
elderly do not follow all the guidelines. Another factor of this research was conclusive that the
price does not infer in the eating habits of the elderly. In contrast, Almeida et al. (2010),
through a survey conducted with elderly people in Lavras (MG), found out that the price and
nutritional quality attributes are considered more important in food choice at the purchase
time.
Harris and Blisard (2002) divided older consumers aged 65 years and older in two
groups (65-74 years and over 75 years old) given that the groups differ in education level,
marital status, sex, ethnic group, economic situation, attitudes and values.
Thus, we find a great diversity of factors that contribute to changing the elderly eating
habits, varying according to the study area and other already mentioned factors.
2.3 Food Quality
The individual is becoming increasingly demanding when it comes to food
consumption. The ecological crisis, environmental pollution, the viruses development and
diseases that affect animals (mad cow disease, bird flu, etc.), the meat and vegetables origin,
the excess use of chemicals and drugs in animals have caused concern in much of the
population. Consumers seek not only food with good visible features, but the one which foster
a healthy, balanced and safe alimentation.
Food quality is very important to both healthy food consumption and to the product
market acceptance. One of the components to meet this requirement is the consumer access to
accurate information related to food manufacturing and expiration date, and its nutritional
composition as well. According to Belik (2003), food available for consumption by
individuals cannot be subjected to any risk of contamination, or other quality problems due to
expiration date.
According to Miller (1992) the food quality concept is complex. In the market, it
means a sales appeal or savings to the consumer. For nutrition journals, the food quality
concept means an appeal to good health, and to the toxicologists it means safety, as food is to
be harmless. Food safety has been defined as reasonable evidence that certain foods are in
adequate sanitation conditions.
From these observations, it is said that those foods that endanger consumers’ health
are those which have no quality or safety. The processed food quality care must go beyond
those taken in the product manufacturing and should also guide the packaging, transport and
product display processes until reaching the final consumer. According to Riedel (1987), the
concern about the product’s quality and sanity starts already in the raw material preparation,
passes through the industrial handling and transport, and is completed in the storage and
consumer sale areas.
Singer and Mason (2007), referring to the quality, say that consumers demand not only
safer and healthier foods, but also they take into account the ethical issues about the
environment and the pesticides use in food production. The formulation and implementation
of quality mechanisms (food safety, environmental protection, health and worker safety,
animal welfare) may be based on certification systems (Paulino and Sciencia, 2010). In this
sense, the certification comes as an information asymmetry reducer regarding the product
quality (Dorr and Grote, 2010).
When food to be consumed is the beef, other factors are taken into account by the
consumer to consider that such meat has high quality standard, namely: good looks,
traceability procedures adoption, hygiene in the point of purchase, the tenderness, etc. Felício
(1993) ranked the attributes of meat quality as follow: visual quality (including the aspects
that either attract or not the consumer to go shopping); taste quality (factors that make the
consumer buy or not the product again), nutrition quality (consumer creates an image on the
product because of his nutritional requirements to constitute a healthy life), and safety
(hygienic-sanitary aspects and the presence of chemical contaminants).
3. Methodology
For this work it was used the field research with primary data collection through
structured forms applied to the elderly people of Santa Maria-RS. The objective was to
identify characteristics of meat consumption in this population. The variables that were
collected are:
- Socioeconomic characteristics: age, gender, education, income;
- Cuts characteristics: cuts attributes, consumption frequency, cuts types [fine cuts and
chuck steak], and purchase decision factors.
After the questionnaires, data were tabulated and analyzed. The analysis was
performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15.0 with the help
of the Chi-squared and standard deviation tests. The data were subjected to frequency
distribution, variance analysis, and nonparametric Fisher analysis. It was conducted a
correlation and average comparison test at the significance level of 1%, 5%, and 10%.
3.1 Sampling
Sampling is a statistical tool used when the population - the total set of elements that is
seek to be analyzed - is composed of a very large number of elements, which makes
impossible the entire population access for data collection. Thus, a sample - with a significant
number and characteristics of elements - is selected within the population, so that the sample
results are sufficiently informative to infer conclusions about the population parameters under
consideration (Barbetta, 2007).
In this study it was used the simple random sampling technique, for known and
finite population, calculated according to Schneider (2004), using the following formula:
(1)
(t
n
,
) s N
2
a
2
2
e02 ( N  1)  (t
,
a
2
)2  s 2
Where:
n = calculated sample minimum size;
t a
,
t
2 = tab value, considering  = 5%;
s 2 = variance obtained from the pilot sample;
N = population size;
e02
= error square sampling, obtained from the pilot sample data.
Previously on sample’s definition for the effective data collection, a pilot study
comprising a group of 33 elderly was performed in order to obtain information on the studied
population to determine the minimum sample size needed for research, counting on 95% level
of confidence.
According to the IBGE classification, the elderly represent people aged 60 years and
older. According to the Population Census 2000 (IBGE), the resident population aged 60 and
older in Santa Maria is 26,423 inhabitants. The pilot study revealed a standard deviation of
1.44 and a sampling error of 0.25. The sample size calculation presented below resulted in
138 elderly people.
(2)
n
2,042  2,07717803  26423
0,250  (26423  1)  2,0422  2,07717803
2
2
n  137,8  138 elderly
4. Results and Discussion
According to this paper theoretical basis, the elderly population is growing rapidly in
Brazil, having doubled in size in the last two decades. In addition, it can be noted a higher
population educational level and purchasing power. This opens space for the consumers to
become more demanding in relation to food quality attributes, flavor characteristics and
concern for life quality.
In this context, this research analyzed the habits of beef consumption by the elderly
population. The results indicate that, out of the 138 respondents, 70 are men and 68 are
women, the respondents average age is 68.4 years old (SD = 6.33 years). The education level
as presented in Figure 1 shows that the highest concentrations are in the range of incomplete
elementary school and high school graduates, counting on 33.6% and 21.7%, respectively.
Chart 1 – Respondents education level
Source: Authors’ elaboration based on data collected.
Regarding the beef consumption, respondents have this protein consume habit
presented in 19 days per month on average (standard deviation 8.07 days). Through the data
in Table 1, it is shown that older people who buy the fine cuts of meat are younger, have
studied more and receive a higher real income compared to respondents who buy chuck
section cuts. Such variables correlation results show that the elderly counting on a higher
education standard buy more fine cuts of meat (negative relationship) and have higher income
at 5% and 1% significance level, respectively. The average for the income (in reais) and years
of study variables in relation to the type of meat cut, present significant differences at 1%.
However, the elderly buy a larger quantity of chuck steak (2.87 kg/month) and pay an
average of R$ 11.36 per kg. It is known that the fine cuts of meat are more expensive and,
according to the survey, these are bought in smaller quantities.
Table 1 – Types of beef consumed stratified by the elderly population social and
economic characteristics
FIRST GRADE
SECOND
Chi, t
BEEF
GRADE BEEF
VARIABLES
test Sig
Mean
S.D.
Mean
S.D.
Age in years
67,89
5,91
68,97
6,57
0,118
Income in Reais (R$)
3040,00 1782,13 1441,5 1107,86 0,000***
Education in years
3,07
1,76
2,70
1,98
0,005***
Quantity of beef in kg
1,81
1,23
2,87
1,27
0,345
Price per kg in R$
12,90
4,13
11,36
5,03
0,254
Source: Authors’ elaboration based on research results.
Note: ***Significant at 1%.
The data in Table 2 indicate that for older people who buy fine cuts of meat the most
important attributes are: meat tenderness (42.5%), taste (32.5%), followed by the visible fat
(12.5%). On the other hand, elderly people who buy the chuck steak are concerned about the
taste (59.8%), tenderness (20.6%) and ease of preparation (9.30%). However, the elderly
respondents do not choose the meat based on other characteristics such as color and price.
The difference between the characteristics and the cut type variables average is significant at
10%.
Table 2 – Beef characteristics and its influence on purchase decision
CHARACTERISTICS OF
First grade beef (%) Second grade beef (%)
BEEF
Colour
0,00
1,00
Fatness
12,50
7,20
Softness
42,50
20,60
Price
2,50
0,00
Cooking
7,50
9,30
Flavour
32,50
59,80
100,00
100,00
Total
Source: Authors’ elaboration based on research results.
Comparing the meat choice based on flavor and tenderness characteristics, it is
possible that the elderly who have higher incomes [R$2,624.64] are those who choose meat
based on its tenderness. However, the elderly who choose the cut based on the taste, are those
that have the lowest income [R$1,275.00]. The differences in the income (in reais) variable
average between tenderness and flavor attributes is significant at 10%.
In the Chart 2 it can be noted the ten most consumed cuts of meat by respondents. It is
evident the preference of this population stratum for more tender and flavorful cuts. These
results are consistent with Najas et al. (1994).
Chart 2 – Major cuts of meat consumed by the respondents
inside round,
11.80%
rump cap, 9.00%
ribs roast,
27.80%
tenderloin, 8.30%
sirloin, 2.10%
shoulder heart,
5.60%
rump , 8.30%
rump tail fat,
7.60%
knuchkle, 5.60%
bone steak, 6.90%
Source: Authors’ elaboration based on research results.
5. Conclusions
The younger elderly, counting on higher level of education and higher income are
more motivated to buy top quality beef. However, these are those who consume a smaller
amount of meat compared to the elderly who buy chuck steak.
For the meat fine cuts consumers, the most important attributes for purchase are:
tenderness, flavor and the amount of visible fat. As for the elderly who consume more chuck
steak the most important attributes are: taste, tenderness and ease of preparation, respectively.
In relation to the two most important attributes for the purchase decision, such as tenderness
and taste, those with higher income level choose the cut type based on tenderness and those
who have low income make their choices based on taste.
It is also noteworthy that the elderly do not consider price as an important attribute for
the purchasing decisions, despite the income be an influence for the cut type that the elderly
are more likely to consume.
As shown, the elderly population in Brazil has increased to levels higher than those
observed in other strata of the population. At the same time there is an improvement in
income and education level; in this sense, there is a greater concern with life quality, the
consumption of healthier, safer and superior quality foods.
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