Prevalence of Selected Unsafe Food‐consumption Practices and Their Associated Factors in Kansas¹

Results of a survey conducted between 1995 and 1996 in Kansas were analyzed to estimate the prevalence of four high‐risk food‐consumption practices and to identify population characteristics associated with each practice. The self‐reported prevalences were 26.5% for home‐canned vegetables, 8.7% for undercooked hamburger, 55.6% for raw or undercooked eggs, and 1.8% for raw milk. Rural residents and those who had a child between ages 13 and 17 were more likely to consume home‐canned vegetables. The consumption of undercooked hamburger was low for respondents with a child from one to four years old but was high for overweight respondents. Those respondents who had higher education and a child between ages 13 and 17 were more likely to consume raw or undercooked eggs. Lower income respondents were more likely to drink unpasteurized milk. The population characteristics identified in this study could be incorporated in the formulation and implementation of educational programs aimed at changing these high‐risk eating behaviors.