Department of Applied Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Department of Political Science, Department of Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 Mar 7;15(3):463. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15030463.
China has undergone rapid social transitions within the last few decades. However, mental health issues, challenges to psychological well-being, and poor dietary choices have gradually surfaced. These health concerns are related to the rapid growth of the aging population and of the fast-paced industrialized society. Nevertheless, there is little knowledge about food preferences and psychological well-being measurements in contemporary China. Applying the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) with a cross-sectional study design ( = 7970), we conducted multinomial logistic regression models to investigate the associations of food preferences, including fast food, salty snacks, fruits, vegetables, and sweetened beverages, with psychological well-being among Chinese middle-aged and older adults (age ≥ 45). Food preferences are mostly associated with psychological well-being ( < 0.05). However, respondents' preferences regarding fast food, salty snacks, and sweetened beverages are associated not only with poorer psychological health status, but also with positive psychological well-being. We speculate that Chinese older adults may consume Westernized fast food and salty snacks as pleasure to the palate due to the recent Westernization in modern China. We also provide practical implications of results from this preliminary study.
中国在过去几十年经历了快速的社会转型。然而，心理健康问题、心理幸福感的挑战和不良的饮食选择逐渐浮现。这些健康问题与人口老龄化和快速工业化社会的快速发展有关。然而，对于当代中国的食物偏好和心理健康测量知之甚少。本研究采用 2011 年中国健康与营养调查（CHNS）的横断面研究设计（n=7970），通过多项逻辑回归模型来研究食物偏好（包括快餐、咸零食、水果、蔬菜和甜饮料）与中国中老年人群（年龄≥45 岁）心理健康之间的关系。食物偏好与心理健康密切相关（<0.05）。然而，受访者对快餐、咸零食和甜饮料的偏好不仅与较差的心理健康状况相关，也与积极的心理健康状况相关。我们推测，由于中国近代的西方化，中国老年人可能会因为西方化的快餐和咸零食口感较好而选择食用。我们还提供了这项初步研究结果的实际意义。
