Author : Anayron, Grace L.

Summary : This study sought to identify the socio-economic and demographic factors associated with food purchasing practices of low-income families in three villages of Los Ba¤os, Laguna, the Philippines namely, Maahas, Timugan, and Moyondon, which represented the lowland, upland, and coastal areas, respectively. This study also determined the relationship between food purchasing practices and radio listenership. Respondents were the 90 homemakers whose children participated in the 1995 second quarter Municipal Nutrition Feeding Program under the Operation Timbang Project (OTP). Data gathering using a six-page pre-tested questionnaire was done in August 1995. Frequency distribution, ranges, means and standard deviations were used to describe the socio-economic and demographic variables. Spearman correlation coefficient, Phi coefficient, Contingency coefficient, and Cramer's V test were used to measure the relationship between the variables studied. Data were analyzed at the 5 percent level of significance. All analysis run the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) Program. Results revealed that the respondent had an average age 33.66 years, and had an average monthly income of P3,500. Majority (70.0 percent) of the respondents in the three areas belonged to households with 4-6 members. Fifty-six percent and 60 percent of the respondents from the upland and coastal areas, respectively, were able to reach or completed high school, while 53.3 percent from the lowland area were elementary graduates. In all three ecological settings, the wife was the food purchaser of the family. Of the three food groups, Group III or the energy-giving foods (e.g., rice, rootcrops, etc.) yielded the highest expenditure, followed by Group I or the body-building foods (e.g., fish, eggs, chicken, milk, milk products). Group II or the body-regulating foods were the least purchased items. Availability of farm products reduced the cost of food purchases of the families in all the three ecological areas studied.