Food Security and Food Consumption Behavior of the Elderly in Songkhla Lake Basin

Abstract

This research was aimed to investigate the relationship between food security and food consumption behavior of the elderly in Songkhla Lake Basin. A questionnaire was employed to gather data from 420 public elderlies who were selected using a multi-stage random sampling. The data analysis is comprised by frequency, percentage, mean, Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression through a computer program. The findings showed that about four the fifth of the elderly were female with an average age of 70.58 years. About half the sample were overweight, three fourth more than lived with children / grandchildren three the fifth more than had a health check. The elderly has good level food security. And the results revealed that food security was positively correlated, and food consumption behaviors was statistically significant at the .001 level. The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that there is 2 variable of food security that influences the prediction of food consumption behavior of the elderly which was Food Availability statistically significant at the .001 level. And food Stability statistically significant at the .05 level.

Keywords: food security, food consumption behavior, elderly, Songkhla Lake Basin