Abstract
This study aims to confirm Japanese food selection criteria and to identify gender-based differences in criteria. In the first part, 464 male and female students responded to a questionnaire about food choices. Factor analysis identified five factors: mood, safety, convenience, weight control, and price. To verify the reliability of these factors, 720 additional participants completed the same questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the reliability of the factors. Furthermore, results of multiple-group analysis indicate that there are significant gender-based differences in food selection criteria. Females in their twenties attached more importance to safety and weight control than their male counterparts, while females in their forties considered mood, safety, weight control, and convenience more important than their male counterparts did.
