Impact of Acculturation and Internal and External Influences on Food Consumption Behavior among Asian American Ethnic Groups

Retail food sales in the United States surpassed $5 trillion annually in 2015 and this number is on the rise. As a growing industry, it is important to understand what factors influence consumption. In this paper, the authors report on data collected from an ethnic segment that is growing in terms of overall population and spending power in the U. S.; Asian Americans. Through analyses of internal and external influences, and measurement of acculturation across 1,284 respondents, the authors are able to suggest that more acculturated individuals are more prone to be influenced by external factors (i.e., other foods and peers), whereas less acculturated individuals are more prone to be influenced by internal factors (i.e., home and family traditions). These findings indicate that acculturation has an impact on food consumption among those identifying as Asian American. Further theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.