Functional food consumption among older consumers in Malaysia: a Health Belief Model perspective

Purpose Functional foods and their association with health benefits and disease risk reduction open a promising possibility for consumers to pursue a healthier lifestyle and extend their life expectancy. This study aims to investigate the effect of perceived susceptibility, perceived barriers and intention to consume functional food among older consumers. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from Malaysian older consumers using a structured questionnaire. A total of 250 usable questionnaires were used for final data analysis. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the collected data. Findings The results show that perceived barriers and cue to action significantly affect older consumers' intention to consume functional foods. Nevertheless, perceived susceptibility does not influence older consumers' intention to consume functional food. Originality/value This study broadens our understanding of older consumers' intention to consume functional food. Importantly, the present study is one of the first studies that extend the application of the Health Belief Model (HBM) in the context of functional food consumption. The findings of the study provide pragmatic insights for both practitioners and researchers.