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Who wants to eat more vegetables? Determinants of consumption and aspiration in Ghana

University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF), Germany

Abstract

In both high-income and low- and middle-income countries, low vegetable consumption is a key feature of poor diet quality and a central focus of nutrition interventions. However, it is often unclear whether those who under-consume vegetables actually want to change their diets. Using primary data from 846 households across the urban-rural continuum in Ghana, this paper examines the relationship between actual vegetable consumption and the aspiration to consume more, as well as the food environment-related, socioeconomic, and motivational factors that drive both. Descriptive results show that aspiration for higher vegetable consumption is widespread, with over 60% of households wanting to consume more. At the same time, consumption is significantly and positively associated with aspiration, indicating that households with the lowest consumption are also the least likely to want to increase it.
To identify key determinants of both consumption and aspiration, we use seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR), as well as interaction and multinomial logit models to assess how these determinants differ across households with different levels of consumption and aspiration.
Vegetable-related nutritional knowledge and positive beliefs emerge as consistent positive predictors across outcomes, while food environment determinants have varied relationships with consumption and aspiration, highlighting important trade-offs. For example, hours spent in paid work are positively associated with consumption but negatively associated with aspiration, suggesting a distinct role for the opportunity cost of time.
Our findings point to both opportunities and constraints. While households with lower consumption are less likely to want to consume more vegetables, several observed factors can be leveraged to boost and sustain demand across household types. Promoting vegetable-related nutrition knowledge and positive health beliefs offers a particularly promising pathway for strengthening both consumption and aspiration.

Keywords: Dietary aspirations, food demand, nutrition knowledge, vegetable consumption

Contact Address: Elisa Langella, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF), Clemens-August-Straße 104, 53115 Bonn, Germany, e-mail: elangelluni-bonn.de