ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

1. ECONOMIC DOWNTURN SARS “Changing Eating Habits Of The White-Collars - Under Economic Stress and SARS” An Attitudinal Survey Presenter: Dr Robert Chung Director, Public Opinion Programme, University of Hong Kong June 26, 2003

2. THE SURVEY OBJECTIVE • While SARS has come to an end, WHO alerts that Hong Kong people still needs to be vigilant for future outbreak. • With the economy spiraling downwards, the need to eat healthily with limited budget has become a challenge for the Hong Kong people who want to stay healthy. • The survey aims at understanding how people adjust their eating behavior, and offering useful suggestions to help them stay healthy in the midst of hardship.

3. SURVEY OVERVIEW

4. SURVEY RESULTS

5. WHITE-COLLAR’S JOB-RELATED STRESSUNDER ECONOMIC DOWNTURN & SARS

6. Less Work Pressure Than Before 1% Don’t Know/Hard To Tell No Difference Work Pressure Higher Than Before ALMOST 60%White-collars Have Higher Job-Related Stress Compared To A Year Ago Successful samples: 510

7. <1% Pay less Attention Than Before <1% Don’t Know/Hard To Tell No Difference Pay More Attention Than Before More Than Half Of The White-Collars Are Paying More Attention To Healthy Diet Because Of SARS Successful samples: 511

8. DO WHITE-COLLARS CONSIDER THEMSELEVS EATING HEALTHILY?

9. Not Healthy Don’t Know/Hard To Tell Healthy 76%White-Collars ConsiderThemselves Eating Healthily For Breakfast Successful samples: 511

10. Don’t Know/Hard To Tell Not Healthy Healthy 71%Consider Themselves Eating Healthily For Lunch Successful samples: 511

11. BREAKFAST BEHAVIOUR

12. Buy breakfast at food stores: 58% Almost 60% White-CollarsEat Ready-Made Breakfast From Stores Successful samples: 511

13. Bread Is The Most Frequently Consumed Breakfast At Home Successful samples: 200 (Eat breakfast at home) Can choose more than one answer: 773

14. Don’t Know/Hard To Tell 5% Cream Milk Low Fat Milk Skimmed Milk 60%Of Those Who Have Breakfast At Home Do Not Drink Skimmed Milk Successful samples:103 (Breakfast at home +drink milk)

15. Bread With Stuffing/Sandwich Is The Most Common Breakfast Of the White-Collars While Eating Out Successful samples: 293(Eat breakfast away from home) Can choose more than one answer: 1,086

16. For Those Who Eat At Home And Consider Themselves Eating HealthilyWill Eat The Following Twice+/Week Successful samples: 182 (Breakfast at home + consider themselves eating healthily)

17. For Those Who Eat Breakfast Away From Home Or Carry-out, And Consider Themselves Eating Healthily, Their Breakfast Include: Successful samples: 195 (Breakfast away from home or carry-out + consider themselves eating healthily)

18. White-Collars’ Breakfast Behavior Summary • 60% are eating ready-made breakfast from stores. • Bread is the most commonly consumed food for breakfast, whether prepared at home or bought from stores. • Over 70% consider themselves eating healthily for breakfast; yet they are eating a lot of unhealthy food such as low fiber loaf/rolls, high fat, high cholesterol sandwich, fried eggs, canned meat, sausage, etc. • Comparatively, for those who are eating breakfast at home, they are choosing much healthier food.

19. WHITE-COLLAR’S LUNCH BEHAVIOUR

20. Don’t Know/Hard To Tell 5% Packed Lunch Eating Out/Carry-Out 65%White-Collars Are Eating Out Or Buying Carry-Out For Lunch 5% Successful samples: 511

21. EATING OUT FOR LUNCH: AN ANALYSIS

22. 70%Who Are Eating OutFrequent Local Tea Restaurants/Fast Food Stores For Lunch Successful samples: 334 (eating out for lunch) Can choose more than one answer: 531

23. Almost Half Of Them Are Eating High Fat Meat Such As Spare Ribs, Beef Briskets, And Chicken Wings For Lunch Successful samples: 334 (eating out for lunch) Can choose more than one answer: 1,005

24. For Those Who Are Eating Out/Buying Carry-Out And Consider Themselves Eating Healthily, Their Lunch Include A Lot of Meat Successful samples: 210 (eating out for lunch + consider themselves eating healthily)

25. Don’t Know/Hard To Tell 4% Chicken Meat With Skin Chicken Meat Without Skin Almost 40% Who Are Eating Out And Take Chicken For Lunch Are Eating The Skin As Well Successful samples: 243 (eating out + eat chicken)

26. White-Collars’ Packed Lunch Includes Rice/Noodle/Bread, Vegetable, Meat Successful sample：154(packed lunch) Can choose more than one answer：606

27. Half Of Them Include Chicken Wings In Their Lunch Box At Least Once A Week Successful samples: 154 (packed lunch) Can choose more than one answer: 440

28. Don’t Know/Hard To Tell 8% Chicken With Skin Chicken Without Skin For Those Who Pack Lunch And Eat Chicken, 30% Eat The Skin As Well Successful samples: 101 (pack lunch + eat chicken)

29. For Those Who Pack Lunch and Consider Themselves Eating Healthily, Their Lunch Include A Lot Of Meat Successful samples: 131 (pack lunch + consider eating healthily)

30. White-Collars’ Lunch Behavior Summary • 30% bring their own lunch; 70% eat outside or buy carry-out at local tea restaurants/fast food stores. • High fat meat accounts for a major share of their lunch (e.g. chicken wings, spare ribs, beef briskets, canned meat, fried fish, etc). • Packed lunch also contains a lot of high fat meat (e.g. chicken wings). • 70% consider themselves eating healthily. In fact, they are eating a lot of unhealthy, high fat food.

31. THE IMPACT OF ECONOMIC STRESS & SARS ON WHITE-COLLAR’S EATING BEHAVIOUR

32. <1%Don’t Know/Hard To Tell Spending More 6% 25% Spending Less 68% No Difference ¼White-Collars Are Spending Less On Meals Than One Year Ago Successful samples: 511

33. Choice Of Food Changed No Change 30%Have Changed Their Choice Of Food Over The Past Year Successful samples: 511

34. 70%White-Collars Demand Balanced Diets Successful samples: 163 (those who have changed choice of food) Can choose more than one answer:175

35. 2% Don’t Know/Hard To Tell Skip Lunch, Shift To Afternoon Tea Menu No 16%Skip Lunch And Shift To Cheaper Afternoon Tea Successful samples: 511

36. WHITE COLLARS WANT HEALTHIER DIETS

37. Don’t Know /Hard To Tell Healthy Unhealthy Over 60% White-CollarsConsider Food At Restaurants Unhealthy Successful samples: 511

38. Of Those Who Consider Food At Restaurants Unhealthy, They Said The Food There Is Too Greasy (Including Too Much Salt, Artificial Colouring, Sugar, Not Fresh Enough, Not Enough Nutrition, Portion Too Large, etc) Successful samples: 311 (consider food at restaurants unhealthy) Can choose more than one answer: 553

39. Don’t Know/Hard To Tell 6% No Eating out too often will lead to health problems Over 80%Consider Eating Out Too Frequently Will Lead To Health Problems Successful samples: 511

40. High Cholesterol And Over-weight Are The Main Health Problems Successful samples: 415 (consider eating out frequently will lead to health problems) Can choose more than one answer: 1,147

41. Don’t Know /Hard To Tell Doesn’t Matter Adjust By Themselves 7% Enough Choices Not enough 56% White-Collars Consider There Is A Lack Of Healthy Choice While Eating Out/Buying Carry-Out successful samples: 511

42. Don’t Know/Hard To Tell 7% Not Willing Willing To Change Almost 80% Indicate A Willingness To Change Their Eating Habits For The Sake Of Health Successful samples: 510

43. CONCLUSION

44. White-Collars Are Eating High-Fat, Low-Fiber Food Which Is Harmful To Health • White-collars have experienced more job-related stress under the economic downturn and SARS. As a result, they have become more health-conscious. • White-collars demand cheaper, healthy diets. • White-collars are setting higher standard for healthy, balanced diets, and are willing to change their eating behavior for the sake of good health.

45. Let’s Maintain A Healthy BodyTogether We Can Endure The Hardship • Thrifty as they are, white-collars are still looking for healthy (low fat) diets. • They are dissatisfied with greasy food at restaurants, and are fully aware of the high cholesterol, over-weight and heart problems associated with it. • How to strike a balance between a tight budget and a healthy eating need has become a key challenge for them. • A balanced diet, with a regular intake of high-fiber, low-fat food such as fruit, vegetable, white meat, oats, etc, are more important than expensive health supplements. • Restaurants can provide economical and healthy food, and help Hong Kong people to stay healthy in order to survive through the economic hardship.

46. The End