Introduction
Consistent behavioural gender differences have been revealed in the area of food choices. An individual’s choice of food depends on a variety of factors and has consequential effects towards the behaviour of human beings that result into choice of some specific food products. The following research focuses on the gender differences in diet concentrating more on significant impacts eating behaviours have on individuals based on the gender. People of all genders aim at maintaining good body shapes and good health in the contemporary society. The research will investigate different eating habits demonstrated by different genders and their effect on the body size and shape. In the modern society, people no longer eat food only for sustenance but because of other factors such as biological needs, psychological and emotional issues. The following research will play a significant role in establishing gender roles in dieting and eating habits of both men and women. The outcomes of the research will help in recommending the best eating habits for each gender.
Research questions
The research will be guided by the following research questions.
- What is the role of gender in dieting and eating habits?
- Why do people eat the foods they eat?
- What is the impact of social-economic status on dieting and eating habits of human beings?
- What is the relationship between gender and healthy dieting?
Methodology
Research design
The research will utilize both quantitative and qualitative research designs in order to increase the quality of data collected. An objective data collection process will be utilized in the quantitative method findings will be recorded in their normal form. Both primary and secondary sources of data will be collected and analyzed. The secondary data will help in providing a general view of the topic over a longer period. On the other hand, the primary data will give the real situation in the field making the research identify new findings.
Study population
The research will take place in New York City in United States. The study population will be composed of younger people between ages of 20 and 35 and older people between ages of 50 and 60. People from both genders will form the target group, with equal representation from each gender and age group. New York was targeted because it houses people with different lifestyles, cultural backgrounds, and social-economic status.
Sample size and sampling design
A sample of 160 participants will take place in the research. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques will be used to divide the sample into four main categories. Two gender categories from each age-group with equal representation of men and women. 40 men and 40 women from each age-group will form the respondent.
Data collection instruments
Descriptive research will be utilized in data collection because it helps in establishing a relationship between research variables and describes the situation in its normal form. Observations, interviews and surveys will form the main instruments for collecting primary data. Semi-structured questionnaires will help in gathering primary data while secondary data will be gathered from books, journals and past reports.
Data processing and analysis
Statistical tools will be used to code and analyze the collected data. Descriptive statistics will help in analyzing the data that compares eating habits with gender while ANOVA and t-tests will help in determining the relationship between social-economic statuses of participants and dieting habits.
Limitations
Lack of cooperation between the target group and the researchers’ forms the main limitation for the study. Poor cooperation may affect the validity and reliability of the collected data. In order to improve the validity and reliability of the methodology used, a pilot study will be done.
Ethical consideration
The research will apply ethical standards during planning, evaluation, data collection, and analysis. A permit will be collected from the federal government and learning institutions to permit collection of data. In addition, all participants will be required to sign an informed consent to ensure the information provided is kept confidential.
Time Frame
Limitations of research
The research is expected to experience the following limitations. Firstly, a limited number of participants compared to the total population of the area will not present the actual state of the city. Secondly, some participants might show poor response to research questions affecting the validity of data collected. Finally, the research will incur a lot of expenses in terms of money and resources that are limited.
