Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Assessing The Effect of Nutritional Knowledge on Menu Choice Decisions among Customers in Star-Rated Hotels in Nakuru County, Kenya

Mildred J. Limo, Catherine Sempele, Stella Barsulai

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v13-i9/17796

Open access

Menus occupy a significant position in hotel business as they purpose to navigate customers to achieve satisfaction and exceed expectations in their food choices. Eating out has become an integral part of our modern society, and diners want to make informed choices for developing healthy eating habits that allow the body to meet its dietary needs and maintain the required weight. The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of nutritional knowledge on menu choice decisions amongst customers in star-rated hotels in Nakuru County, Kenya. The Food Choice Process Model and Theory of Planned Behaviour informed the study. The study employed an exploratory research design with a closed-ended questionnaire to collect data, which was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0, and hypothesis tested at p?0.05. The study findings show that the knowledge explained 27.9% of the variation in customer menu choice decisions. Nutritional knowledge (?1=0.608, p=0.000) positively and significantly influenced consumer menu choice. The study concluded that customers understanding of menu information depend on their knowledge to choose and consume foods that meet their nutritional needs. The study recommends that hotels provide in-menu nutrition information to guide customers toward healthy meal choices.

Ahn, J., Park, H., Lee, K., Kwon, S., Kim, S., Yang, J., . . . Lee, Y. (2015). The effect of providing nutritional information about fast-food restaurant menus on parents’ meal choices for their children. Nutrition Research and Practice, Vol. 9(6), pp. 667-672.
Ajzen, I. (1991). Theory of planned behaviour. Org Beh and Soc Human Decision Proc, Vol. 50, pp. 179-211.
Ajzen, I. (2002). Icek Ajzen: Theory of planned behavior. Retrieved April, 16th 2022, from http://people.umass.edu/aizen/tpb.html
Aktar, N., Qureshi, N. K., & Ferdous, H. S. (2017). Obesity: A Review of Pathogenesis and Management Strategies in Adult. Delta Med Col J, Vol. 5(1), pp. 35-48.
Ali, A., & Rahut, D. B. (2019). Healthy Foods as Proxy for Functional Foods: Consumers’ Awareness, Perception, and Demand for Natural Functional Foods in Pakistan . International Journal of Food Science , Vol. 2019, pp. 1-12.
Ali, A., Al Naabi, F. M., Al-Hakamani, H. S., Al-Fahdi, H. M., & Waly, M. I. (2020). Assessment of Nutritional Knowledge, Dietary Habits, Nutrient Intake and Nutritional Status of Omani University Students. Canadian Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol, 8(2), pp. 35-52.
Anita, T. L., & Pratomo, A. (2021). Food safety management and food quality in hospitality industry during covid-19 pandemic. Uncertain Supply Chain Management, Vol. 9, pp. 1-5.
Babatunde, O. S., Oguntunde, P. E., Ogunmola, A. O., & Balogun, O. S. (2014). On the Performance of RESET and Durbin Watson Tests in Detecting Specification Error. Int J of Modern Math Sci, Vol. 11(3), pp. 144-151.
Baiardi, D., Puglisi, R., & Scabrosetti, S. (2016). Individual attitudes on food quality and safety: Empirical evidence on EU countries. Food Qual. Prefer, Vol. 49, pp. 70-74.
Bartkiene, E., Steibliene, V., Adomaitiene, V., Juodeikiene, G., Cernauskas, D., Lele, V., . . . Guine, R. P. (2019). Factors Affecting Consumer Food Preferences: Food Taste and Depression-Based Evoked Emotional Expressions with the Use of Face Reading Technology. BioMed Research International, Vol. 2019, pp. 1-10.
Bian, S., Gao, Y., Zhang, M., Wang, X., Liu, W., Zhang, D., & Huang, G. (2013). Dietary nutrient intake and metabolic syndrome risk in Chinese adults: a case - control study. Nutrition Journal, Vol. 12 (106), pp. 1-7.
Boccia, F., Covino, D., & Sarnacchiaro, P. (2018). Genetically modified food versus knowledge and fear: A Noumenic approach for consumer behaviour. Food Res. Int, Vol. 111, pp. 682-688.
Bor, T. B., Kieti, D., & Rotich, D. J. (2018). Hotel choice attributes and demographic characteristics of tourists in North Rift Region, Kenya African. Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, Vol. 7(3), pp. 1-12.
Bujisic, M., Hutchinson, J., & Parsa, H. (2014). The effects of restaurant quality attributes on customer behavioural intentions. Int J Contemp. Hosp. Mgt, Vol. 26, pp. 1270-1291.
Cawley, J., & Liu, F. (2012). Maternal employment and child hood obesity: A search for mechanisms in time use data. Econ Hum Biol , Vol. 10, pp. 352-364.
CBK. (2022). Monetary policy committee hotels survey - March 2022. Nairobi - Kenya: Central Bank of Kenya.
Chen, K. J., Yeh, T. M., Pai, F. Y., & Chen, D. F. (2018). Integrating Refined Kano Model and QFD for Service Quality Improvement in Healthy Fast-Food Chain Restaurants. Int J Environ Res Public Health, Vol. 15(7), pp. 1310.
Chen, P. J., & Antonelli, M. (2020). Conceptual models of food choice: Influential factors related to foods, individual differences, and society. Foods, Vol. 9(12), pp. 1898.
Chen, Y., Perez-Cueto, F. J., Giboreau, A., Mavridis, I., & Hartwell, H. (2020). The Promotion of Eating Behaviour Change through Digital Interventions. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, Vol. 17(7488), pp. 1-19.
Chiciudean, G. O., Harun, R., Muresan, I. C., Arion, F. H., Chiciudean, D. I., Ilies, G. L., & Dumitras, D. E. (2019). Assessing the Importance of Health in Choosing a Restaurant: An Empirical Study from Romania. Int J Environ Res Public Health, Vol. 16(2224), pp. 1-15.
Choi, J., & Zhao, J. (2010). Factors Influencing Restaurant Selection in South Florida: Is Health Issue One of the Factors Influencing Consumers’ Behavior When Selecting a Restaurant? J. Foodserv. Bus. Res, Vol. 13, pp. 237-251.
Cohen, D. A., & Story, M. (2014). Mitigating the Health Risks of Dining Out: The Need for Standardized Portion Sizes in Restaurants . Am J Public Health, Vol. 104, pp. 586-590.
Davis, B., Lockwood, A., Pantelidis, I., & Alcott, P. (2013). Food and beverage management. Routledge.
Eze, N. M., Maduabum, F. O., Onyeke, N. G., Anyaegunam, N. J., Ayogu, C. A., Ezeanwu, B. A., & Eseadi, C. (2017). Awareness of food nutritive value and eating practices among Nigerian bank workers: Implications for nutritional counseling and education. Medicine, Vol. 96(10), (e6283), pp. 1-6.
Furst, T., Connors, M., Bisogni, C., Sobal, J., & Falk, L. (1996). Food choice: A conceptual model of the process. Appetite, Vol. 26(3), pp. 247-265.
GNR. (2020). Action on equity to end malnutrition Suggested citation. Bristol, UK: Development Initiatives.
Gorton, M., & Barjolle, D. (2013). Theories of Food Choice. In D. Barjolle, Food Consumer Science: Theories, Methods 15 and Application to the Western Balkans, (pp. 15-26). Dordrecht: Springer.
Guine, R. P., Bartkiene, E., Szucs, V., Tarcea, M., Ljubicic, M., Cernelic-Bizjak, M., . Ferreira, M. (2020). Study about Food Choice Determinants According to Six Types of Conditioning Motivations in a Sample of 11,960 Participants. Foods, Vol. 9(888), pp. 1-18.
Ha, E. J., Caine-Bish, N., Holloman, C., & Lowry-Gordon, K. (2009). Evaluation of effectiveness of class-based nutrition intervention on changes in soft drink and milk consumption among young adults. Nutrition Journal, Vol. 26(8), pp. 50-55.
Ha, E., & Caine-Bish, N. (2011). Interactive introductory nutrition course focusing on disease prevention increased whole-grain consumption by college students. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour, Vol. 43(4), pp. 263-267.
Horst, K. v.-d., Brunner, T. A., & Siegrist, M. (2011). Ready-meal consumption: Associations with weight status and cooking skills. Public Health Nutr, Vol. 14, pp. 239-245.
Jawabreh, O. A., Al Jaffal, T., Abdelrazaq, H., & Mahmoud, R. M. (2018). The Impact of Menus on the Customer Satisfaction in Restaurants Classified in Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) . Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Sports, Vol. 33, 29-39.
Jin, N. P., Line, N. D., & Lee, S. (2017). The health conscious restaurant consumer: Understanding the experiential and behavioral effects of health concern. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 29(8), pp. 2103-2120.
Jo, J., Lusk, J. L., Muller, L., & Ruffieux, B. (2016). Value of parsimonious nutritional information in a framed field experiment. Food Policy, Vol. 63, pp. 124-133.
Kaya, I. Z. (2016). Motivation Factors of Consumers’ Food Choice. Food and Nutrition Sciences, Vol. 7, pp. 149-154.
Kent, J., & Myers, N. (2008). The citizen is willing, but society won’t deliver: The problem of institutional roadblocks. Washington, DC: International Institute for Sustainable Development.
Kolodinsky, J., Harvey-Berino, J. R., Berlin, L., Johnson, R. K., & Reynolds, T. W. (2007). Knowledge of current dietary guidelines and food choice by college students: Better eaters have higher knowledge of dietary guidance. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Vol. 107(8), pp. 1407-1413.
Konttinen, H. H., Fogelholm, M., Saarijarvi, H., Nevalainen, J., & Erkkola, M. (2021). Sociodemographic differences in motives for food selection: results from the LoCard cross-sectional survey. Int J of Beh Nutr and Phys Act, Vol. 18(71), pp. 1-15.
Maina, J. W. (2018). Analysis of the factors that determine food acceptability. The Pharma Innovation Journal, Vol. 7(5), pp. 253-257.
McDermott, M. S., Oliver, M., Svenson, A., Simnadis, T., Beck, E. J., Coltman, T., . . . Sharma, R. (2015). The theory of planned behaviour and discrete food choices: A systematic review and meta-analysis . International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Vol. 12(162), pp. 1-11.
Melesse, B. M., & Berg, M. V. (2021). Consumer Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Behavior in Urban Ethiopia: A Comprehensive Study. Ecology of Food and Nutrition, Vol. 60(2), pp. 244-256.
Mitchell, T. D. (2021, November 14th ). Regulation of Junk food marketing is key to talking obesity crisis . Retrieved from https://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/51562
Mkuu, R. S., Epnere, K., & Chowdhury, M. A. (2018). Prevalence and Predictors of Overweight and Obesity among Kenyan Women. Prev Chronic Dis , Vol. 15(E44), pp. 1-10.
MoH. (2021). National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases – 2021/22 – 2025/26. Nairobi, Kenya: Ministry of Health.
Mohammadbeigi, A., Asgarian, A., Moshir, E., Heidari, H., Afrashteh, S., Khazaei, S., & Ansari, H. (2018). Fast food consumption and overweight/obesity prevalence in students and its association with general and abdominal obesity. J Prev Med Hyg, Vol. 59(3), pp. E236-E240.
Moura, A. C., Melo, M. T., Silva, B. L., Paz, S. M., Paiva, A. A., & Carvalho, C. M. (2020). An approach on food choice determinants: a study in the restaurants of a public market in Northeastern Brazil. Rev Nutr, Vol. 33(e190126), pp. 1-12.
Okoro, C. S., Musonda, I., & Agumba, J. (2017). Evaluating the Influence of Nutrition Determinants on Construction Workers’ Food Choices. American Journal of Men’s Health, Vol. 11(6), pp. 1713-1727.
Onyango, F. E., & Wasike, K. C. (2018). Healthy Eating Products and Customer Outcomes in Restaurants. Journal of Tourism and Management Research, Vol. 3(1), pp. 200 - 212.
Paquet, C. (2019). Environmental Influences on Food Behaviour. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, Vol. 16(2763), pp. 1-4.
Rea, L., & Parker, A. (2014). Designing and Conducting Survey Research: A Comprehensive Guide. 4th Edition. Jossey-Bass, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Rossner, S. (2014). Obesity: Why Bother? In Controversies in Obesity. London: Springer.
Saunders, B., Sim, J., Kingstone, T., Baker, S., Waterfield, J., Bartlam, B., . . . Jinks, C. (2018). Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization. Qual Quant, Vol. 52(4), pp. 1893-1907.
Sharma, S. V., Hoelscher, D. M., Kelder, S. H., Diamond, P., Day, R. S., & Hergenroeder, A. (2010). Psychosocial Factors Influencing Calcium Intake and Bone Quality in Middle School Girls. J Am Diet Assoc, Vol. 110(6), pp. 932-936.
Spronk, I., Kullen, C., Burdon, C., & O’Connor, H. (2014). Relationship between nutrition knowledge and dietary intake - Systematic Review. Br J of Nutr, Vol. 111, pp. 1713-1726.
Story, M., Kaphingst, K., Robinson-O’Brien, R., & Glanz, K. (2008). Creating healthy food and eating environmental policy and environmental approaches. Annu. Rev. Public Health, Vol. 29, pp. 253-272.
Szalonka, K., Stanczyk, E., Gardocka-Ja?owiec, A., Waniowski, P., Niemczyk, A., & Grodek-Szostak, Z. (2021). Food Choices and Their Impact on Health and Environment. Energies, Vol. 14(5460), pp. 1-14.
Trafialek, J., Czarniecka-Skubina, E., Kulaitiene, J., & Vaitkeviciene, N. (2020). Restaurant’s Multidimensional Evaluation Concerning Food Quality, Service, and Sustainable Practices: A Cross-National Case Study of Poland and Lithuania. Sustainability, Vol. 12(234), pp. 1-21.
Vadiveloo, M. K., Malik, V. S., Spiegelman, D., Willett, W. C., & Mattei, J. (2017). Does a grill menu redesign influence sales, nutrients purchased, and consumer acceptance in a worksite cafeteria? Preventive Medicine Reports, Vol. 8, pp. 140-147.
Wasike, K. C., Fwaya, E. V., & Kigaru, D. M. (2017). Factors Influencing Customer Needs For Healthy Eating Products In Selected Restaurants Of Nairobi City, Kenya . International Journal of Scientific Progress and Research (IJSPR) , Vol. 36(2), pp. 75-79.
White, C. M., Lillico, H. G., Vanderlee, L., & Hammond, D. (2016). A voluntary nutrition labeling program in restaurants: Consumer awareness, use of nutrition information, and food selection. Preventive Medicine Reports, Vol. 4, pp. 474-480.
WHO. (2018). Non-communicable diseases. Retrieved from World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases
Wongprawmas, R., Mora, C., Pellegrini, N., Guine, R. P., Carini, E., Sogari, G., & Vittadini, E. (2021). Food Choice Determinants and Perceptions of a Healthy Diet among Italian Consumers. Food, Vol. 10, 318.

In-Text Citation: (Limo et al., 2023)
To Cite this Article: Limo, M. J., Sempele, C., & Barsulai, S. (2023). Assessing The Effect of Nutritional Knowledge on Menu Choice Decisions among Customers in Star-Rated Hotels in Nakuru County, Kenya. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 13(9), 174 – 2187.