The Skinny on Coffee Drinkers Gender Differences in

The “Skinny” on Coffee Drinkers: Gender Differences in Healthy Beverage Choices Rachel L. Osborne, Braden D. Ackley, & Traci A. Giuliano Southwestern University The goal of the present study was to explore the relationship between gender and health-conscious decisions, particularly in the realm of beverages. Based on the notion that females are generally more preoccupied with their health, it was hypothesized that females would be more likely than would males to order a healthy beverage than an unhealthy beverage. To investigate this relationship, a naturalistic observation study was conducted in a popular coffee shop in central Texas. The drink orders of 96 patrons (34 males, 62 females) were classified as either healthy or unhealthy. As predicted, the results revealed a relationship between participants’ orders and their gender, such that females were significantly more likely than males to order a healthy version of a drink. Our findings suggest that health-food advertising may be reaching a primarily female population. Introduction Amidst the endless promotion of “diet-friendly” food products in self-help books, food packages, and restaurant commercials, it is evident that society is preoccupied with food consumption, a phenomenon that may be attributed to perceptions about the impact of food on one’s weight and health (Aruguete, Yates, & Edman, 2006; Rozin et al. , 2003). Although this fixation on food consumption is known to vary according to race, ethnicity, religion, and geographic location (Rozin et al. , 2003), a large body of research suggests that gender is the leading predictor of both food perceptions and eating behavior (Aruguete et al. , 2006; Rozin et al. , 2003). One fundamental source of variation between men and women concerns their unique health attitudes (Rozin et al. , 2003), such that men place a lesser degree of importance on healthy eating than do women. For instance, Wardle et al. (2004) found that men, in comparison to women, do not perceive low-fat, reduced-sodium, and high-fiber food products to be as important to their health. Interestingly, the relative health attitudes of men and women are manifested in their food mentality (Aruguete et al. , 2006; Rozin et al. , 2003). Specifically, research confirms that women are more likely to use health schemas in the context of food, weighting its health effects above its culinary properties (Rozin et al. , 2003). Most importantly, gender differences have been observed in terms of actual food consumption, even on a universal level (Wardle et al. , 2004). For instance, empirical research has concluded that dieting is more prevalent among women than men, and that women are more prone than men to consume “diet-friendly” products (e. g. , foods low in sugar, fat or salt; Rozin et al. , 2003). Men are even more likely to eat at fast food restaurants--typical venues of unhealthy eating (Aruguete et al. , 2006). Taken together, it is apparent that women’s food consumption is healthier than is men’s, which can be explained by women’s greater concern for improving their health and managing their weight (Alexander & Tupper, 1995). However, most of the research to date has given little attention to the consumption of beverages. Furthermore, there is a dearth of research on people’s behavior in public eating environments, which may provide special insight into the eating habits and health consciousness of men and women. Accordingly, the present study attempted to address these gaps in the literature. Specifically, we explored the relationship between gender and health-conscious behavior, focusing on the context of beverages. A naturalistic observation study was conducted at a local coffee venue that offered customers several healthy modifiers on standard drink items. Based on the research reviewed thus far, we expected to find a significant relationship between gender and drink choice, such that females would demonstrate a greater tendency than would males to order a healthy version of a drink (rather than the standard, unhealthy version). Method Conclusion Participants in the current study were 96 patrons (34 male, 62 female) of a local coffee shop who were approximately 15 years of age and older. A 2 x 2 categorical design was used, in which gender and beverage order were the variables of interest. Beverage orders were classified as either healthy or unhealthy; healthy beverages were those that were ordered with at least one healthy modifier (e. g. , sugar-free, nonfat, or light), whereas unhealthy beverages were those that were offered in a healthier version yet were ordered without any healthy modifiers. The unobtrusive observations took place from inside the coffee venue, and consisted of identifying the gender of each patron and characterizing his or her drink order as either healthy or unhealthy. All orders were identified by either listening to the participants verbalize an order themselves or by listening to the barista verbally announce the orders. It is important to note that any patron ordering more than one drink item was excluded from the study, and no food orders were taken into account. Results A chi-square test of independence revealed a significant relationship between gender and drink order, Χ 2(1, N = 96) = 10. 60, p <. 05. As predicted, males were more likely to order the standard, unhealthy version of a drink (86. 50 %) than a healthy version (13. 50 %), whereas females showed an almost equal tendency to order the unhealthy version of a drink (48. 69 %) and the healthy version (51. 61 %). Figure 1 shows the frequencies of healthy and unhealthy beverages ordered by participants. As depicted in the figure, the proportion of males ordering an unhealthy beverage dramatically overshadowed the proportion ordering a healthy beverage, whereas females ordered healthy and unhealthy drinks in approximately equal proportions. Drinks Ordered Abstract Overall, our findings substantiate the hypothesis that gender predicts the healthiness of beverage choice. In fact, gender differences were pronounced, as females were nearly three times more likely than were males to order a healthy alternative of a particular beverage. Importantly, our study confirms that relative to males, females tend to be healthier consumers and make more health-conscious decisions. This notion is strongly supported by the findings of previous research, which indicate that females are more prone to incorporate reduced-fat products into their diets (Alexander & Tupper, 1995). More importantly, the current study extends past findings, confirming that gender-patterned food consumption can be applied to the realm of beverages and is evident in public settings. One potential explanation for our findings concerns Aruguete et al. ’s (2006) suggestion that men and women differ according to their health concerns, such that women perceive a stronger link between diet and health than do men. Thus, perhaps the females in our study, more so than the males, perceived a beverage with a healthy modification as more beneficial to their health than a standard option with normal fat, sugar, and calorie content. Another underlying explanation for our findings may be the issue of body image. A wealth of research shows that women (compared to men) perceive their actual figure as smaller than the ideal, perhaps a result of societal messages that equate a woman’s thinness to her beauty (Fallon & Rozin, 1985; Tiggeman, 2006). Whereas beauty standards certainly exist for both genders, Aruguete et al. (2006) reported that females internalize these standards and impose them on themselves, whereas men externalize them and utilize them to judge others. Although the results of the present study are promising, several limitations warrant mention. First, as this study incorporated a naturalistic observation design, no causal relationship between gender and drink order can be inferred. Furthermore, the setting of the observations, although ideal for reducing reactivity, was not conducive to clearly identifying a customer’s order. Finally, the patrons’ knowledge of the menu was not controlled for, which introduces a potential element of bias in the study; that is, drink orders may have been due to patrons’ lack of knowledge about the menu rather than a particular desire to be healthy or unhealthy. Despite these limitations, the relationship between gender and food consumption is a viable avenue for further investigation. One possible extension of the current study would be to explore gender differences across ethnicities, races, and religions to identify any factors that moderate the gender gap observed here. Additionally, the situational factors involved in eating behavior--such as the role of audience, setting, and occasion--may prove to be a fruitful topic of research. Hopefully, the exploration of gender-related eating habits will provide further insight into society’s current fixation with food consumption and will have implications for the marketing strategies of the food and restaurant industries.