Problems in the Analysis of Food Consumption

The choice among several concepts of food consumption depends upon what is to be studied, whether a farm problem, a marketing problem, or a problem at the level of consumer purchase or food intake. That choice will largely determine the selection among possible measures of food consumption. No single measure of changes in food consumption can be designed to meet every need. In this paper, the meanings of food consumption that are set forth, together with their related measures, are those involved in questions frequently raised by Government analysts and information specialists, by nutritionists, farm organizations, advertising agencies, and journalists, and by businessmen in the food industries, and other interested individuals. As the author indicates, the intrinsic differences among the several meanings of food consumption are so significant that they materially affect the conclusions drawn from the analysis of specific problems.