高齡消費者購買機能性食品的行為意圖：老化態度、健康信念模式和不同健康宣稱策略的效果

Abstract

壽命增加、人口老化和經濟發展等因素，讓食品產業有更多的發展空間。隨著近年來國際上機能性食品的成長趨勢，探討高齡者購買這些產品的趨勢並填補研究缺口十分重要。國際上對機能性食品的定義大致為對健康有益且是標準飲食一部分的產品。這類產品經常在廣告中使用健康宣稱，且在臺灣受到衛福部食藥署的規範，不得涉指其具有療效。雖然政府機關會定期查核且公告被裁罰的案例，但在市面上依然具遊走於灰色地帶之產品。因此我們認為，應該要更關注這類產品的健康宣稱內容，以及檢驗其對高齡消費者的影響。此外，過去的研究發現個體的健康信念模型可以預測健康相關行為的參與程度。大多關注高齡者健康信念的相關研究都與預防性醫療行為較有關，但鮮少人關注於健康信念應用於高齡者的消費行為。一些研究也表明，個人對老化的態度與其健康行為的參與程度之間存在相關性。綜述所提，本論文以三個研究來探討我們所關注的議題，分別為：（一）以內容分析法建立類目並歸納臺灣市場中食品包裝上的健康宣稱內容，結果發現大部分的健康宣稱並未指涉對特定疾病或症狀有效果，且與老化有關的產品的健康宣稱策略與其他產品有所不同；（二）以調查法探討高齡者的老化態度、健康信念和購買機能性食品的計畫行為間的關聯，結果發現健康信念在老化態度與購買機能性食品的計畫行為間的關聯扮演中介角色；（三）以隨機化實驗控制組後測設計探討不同的健康宣稱策略對高齡者購買意圖的影響，結果發現當與老化有關的健康宣稱搭配營養素或成分的指稱、提供描述性或統計性的科學證據會對高齡者的購買意願造成影響。總而言之，本研究探討了臺灣市場的健康宣稱、高齡者購買功能性食品背後的心理機制，以及不同健康主張策略在促進高齡者購買意願方面的有效性。The increase in lifespan, population aging, and economic development provided more growth opportunities for the food industry. Given the recent global trends in the growth of functional foods, it is crucial to explore and fill the research gaps regarding older adults' purchasing trends for these products. Internationally, functional foods are generally defined as products that are beneficial to health and part of a standard diet. These products often use health claims in advertisements and are regulated by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which prohibits claims of therapeutic effects. Although the government regularly inspects and publishes cases of violations, there are still products that operate in a grey area in the market. Therefore, we believe there should be more focus on the health claims of these products and an examination of their impact on elderly consumers. Previous studies have found that individuals' health belief models can predict the extent of their participation in health-related behaviors. Most research on older adults' health beliefs is related to preventive medical behaviors, with few studies focusing on the application of health beliefs to older adults' consumption behaviors. Some studies also suggest a correlation between individuals' attitudes towards aging and their participation in health behaviors. This dissertation addresses our research interests through three studies: (1) Using content analysis to categorize and summarize health claims on food packaging in the Taiwanese market, we found that most health claims do not refer to specific diseases or symptoms, and health claim strategies for products related to aging differ from those for other products; (2) Using surveys to investigate the relationship between older adults' attitudes towards aging, health beliefs, and planned behaviors for purchasing functional foods, we found that health beliefs mediate the relationship between attitudes towards aging and planned behaviors for purchasing functional foods; (3) Using a randomized control-group posttest design to examine the impact of different health claim strategies on older adults' purchase intentions, we found that health claims related to aging, paired with nutrient or ingredient statements and either descriptive or statistical scientific evidence, affect older adults' purchase intentions. In summary, this research explores the health claims in the Taiwanese market, the psychological mechanisms behind older adults' purchasing functional foods, and the effectiveness of different health claim strategies in promoting purchase intentions among older adults.