Who consumes functional foods and nutraceuticals in Canada?

Results of Cluster Analysis of the 2006 survey of Canadians’ Demand for Food Products Supporting Health and Wellness ABSTRACT This research seeks to identify consumer segments related to consumption of functional food and nutraceutical products in Canada. [...] Despite the existence of a body of systematic scientific evidence on the link between diet and health since as early as the 1950s (Nestle and Jacobson, 2000; Nestle, 2002; Willet, 2001) and a range of public policies aimed at promoting behavioural modifications(Kerr et al., 2005; Glanz. [...] Thus, in public policy discourse, emphasis is put on the continuing need to bridging the 3 gap between consumer dietary choices and healthful dietary regimes, on the one hand, and agricultural policies (Barling, 2007; Cash et al., 2006; Caraher and Coveney, 2004; Lock et al., 2003; Waltner-Toews and Lang, 2000), public information provision, social marketing and other promotional activities aimed [...] Such 4 heterogeneity is typically neglected in developing policies and interventions towards diet change more generally.2 A key dimension of consumer heterogeneity in the propensity to make health-related dietary changes is relates to the acceptability of food products and ingredients that are health-promoting. [...] However, to the best of our knowledge no rigorous analysis has been undertaken to date on consumer receptivity towards functional foods and nutraceuticals using the AIO framework.