Table 2.
Summary statistics from the exploratory principal components analysis of parents’ snack food choice motive items; sample of parents (n 371) of 2–5-year-old children, Melbourne and Adelaide, Australia
| Motive factors and items | Factor loading (≥0·40) | n | % rating item as ‘moderately’ or ‘very’ important |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘It is important to me that the food I choose for my child for a typical snack…’ | |||
| Health and Nutrition | |||
| Is good for her/his skin, teeth, hair, nails, etc. | 0·77 | 386 | 86·5 |
| Keeps her/him healthy | 0·76 | 385 | 86·5 |
| Contains a lot of vitamins and minerals | 0·74 | 386 | 88·7 |
| Contains natural ingredients | 0·66 | 386 | 84·1 |
| Provides food variety | 0·65 | 386 | 90·0 |
| Is nutritious | 0·61 | 387 | 93·8 |
| Is high in fibre and roughage | 0·48 | 388 | 75·8 |
| Is high in protein | 0·48 | 383 | 77·3 |
| Contains no additives | 0·44 | 387 | 63·6 |
| Is good quality or fresh | 0·44 | 384 | 93·0 |
| Contains no artificial ingredients | 0·43 | 385 | 69·8 |
| Mood | |||
| Helps her/him cope with life | 0·77 | 380 | 48·5 |
| Helps her/him cope with stress | 0·74 | 370 | 33·2 |
| Helps her/him relax | 0·73 | 377 | 47·7 |
| Makes her/him feel good | 0·68 | 384 | 60·1 |
| Cheers her/him up | 0·63 | 386 | 43·6 |
| Keeps her/him awake or alert | 0·62 | 383 | 42·1 |
| Child’s Wants | |||
| Is familiar to my child | 0·77 | 386 | 59·1 |
| Is what s/he usually eats | 0·73 | 386 | 60·2 |
| Is what s/he asks me for | 0·59 | 387 | 46·9 |
| Is part of her/his habit or routine | 0·57 | 384 | 58·2 |
| Is advertised on TV | 0·45 | 387 | 4·1 |
| Is what s/he likes | 0·41 | 387 | 85·1 |
| Natural/Ethical | |||
| Contains no additives | 0·47 | 387 | 63·6 |
| Contains no artificial ingredients | 0·41 | 385 | 69·8 |
| Comes from countries I approve of politically | 0·64 | 387 | 13·4 |
| Has the country of origin clearly marked | 0·66 | 388 | 22·9 |
| Is packaged in an environmentally friendly way | 0·57 | 388 | 44·2 |
| Convenient to Prepare | |||
| Can be cooked very simply | 0·77 | 387 | 50·9 |
| Is easy to prepare | 0·86 | 386 | 54·4 |
| Takes little time to prepare | 0·79 | 386 | 37·2 |
| Sensory Appeal | |||
| Has a pleasant texture | 0·50 | 386 | 59·3 |
| Looks nice | 0·66 | 387 | 57·7 |
| Smells nice | 0·75 | 387 | 65·5 |
| Tastes good | 0·47 | 388 | 92·2 |
| Weight Control | |||
| Helps my child control her/his weight | 0·73 | 385 | 54·7 |
| Is low in calories | 0·74 | 387 | 46·4 |
| Is low in fat | 0·79 | 386 | 59·3 |
| Price | |||
| Is cheap | 0·80 | 381 | 18·9 |
| Is not expensive | 0·78 | 387 | 25·6 |
| Is value for money | 0·73 | 386 | 54·7 |
| Quality | |||
| Is good quality or fresh | 0·62 | 384 | 93·0 |
| Contains no artificial ingredients | 0·54 | 385 | 69·8 |
| Can be home made | 0·65 | 387 | 83·3 |
| Convenient to Buy | |||
| Can be bought in shops close to where I live or work | 0·75 | 386 | 64·2 |
| Is easily available in shops and supermarkets | 0·70 | 387 | 74·7 |
| Others’ Preferences | |||
| Is what I like | 0·52 | 383 | 55·8 |
| Is what other family members like | 0·69 | 384 | 72·5 |