Study of factors affecting the attitude of the elderly towards buying and consuming fresh fish in Iran

Considering the role of seafood consumption in providing public health as well as the increase in the elderly population in Iran, the attitude of the elderly towards the consumption of fresh fish and the factors affecting it were investigated in this research. For this purpose, a questionnaire was designed and standardized based on the library study and the opinions of experts. Questionnaires were sent electronically through cyberspace to elderly people (age 60 and above). SPSS software was used for descriptive statistical analysis and the structural equation model was used in Lisrel software for the intensity of the relationship between the structures. Based on a default model of consumer behavior, the results showed that 7 factors of quality, type of supply, income, access, experimental records, health, and convenience of consumption are significantly effective on the attitude of the elderly towards the consumption of fresh fish (p<0.05). Instead, the two factors of price and advertising did not have a significant effect on the attitude and it was found that the attitude of the elderly towards the consumption of fresh fish is effective on their decision to buy and increase their fish consumption (p<0.05), in this way, by changing and improving each of the factors affecting the attitude, it is possible to increase fish consumption in the elderly. Quality and access were among the most effective factors in the elderly's desire to consume fresh fish. Therefore, by improving the quality and increasing access to fresh fish in different regions of the country, an important step can be taken to facilitate and increase the consumption of fresh fish by the elderly.