


































Food Science and Nutrition Studies 

ISSN 2573-1661 (Print) ISSN 2573-167X (Online) 

Vol. 3, No. 1, 2019 

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23 
 

Original Paper 

Influence of Women Age on Berries Consumption: The Role of 

Liking and Properties of Berries as Determinants of Their Intake 

Mariana Lares-Michel1, Fatima Ezzahra Housni1*, Virginia Gabriela Aguilera Cervantes1, María del 

Carmen Barragán Carmona1 & Claudia Llanes Cañedo1 

1 Research Center in Food Behavior and Nutrition, University Center of the South, University of 

Guadalajara, Av. Enrique Arreola Silva 883, Col. Centro. Zip code 49000. Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco, 

México 

* Fatima Ezzahra Housni, Research Center in Food Behavior and Nutrition, University Center of the 

South, University of Guadalajara, Av. Enrique Arreola Silva 883, Col. Centro. Zip code 49000. Ciudad 

Guzmán, Jalisco, México 

 

Received: January 13, 2019    Accepted: January 25, 2019    Online Published: February 27, 2019 

doi:10.22158/fsns.v3n1p23        URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/fsns.v3n1p23 

 

Abstract 

Due to the benefits of berries to health and aging in women and the fact that as women age, they are 

increasingly concerned about remaining healthy and looking young, the aim of this paper is to 

determine if the consumption of berries among women is influenced by their age; also, to identify if the 

reasons why berries are ingested vary with age. This study evaluated berries intake and motives of 

consumption of 240 adult women from Jalisco, Mexico, ranging from 18 to 65 years old, divided into 

three groups: Young Adult Women (YAW, from 18 to 35 years old), Middle-Aged Adult Women (MAW, 

from 36 to 55 years old) and Older Adult Women (OAW, from 56 to 65 years old). Berries (blueberry, 

raspberry, strawberry and blackberry) consumption was collected by an adapted Food Consumption 

Frequency Questionnaire validated for Mexican population, and intake reasons were assessed by a 

qualitative section. Spearman’s Correlations, ANOVA and Bonferroni test were done. While berries 

consumption lowers in the MAW group, it increases when women reach the advanced adulthood. YAW 

consumes berries mainly because of liking and OAW due to its properties. Only 60% of OAW consumes 

berries and frequency of consumption is occasional in all women, so policies to increase berries intake 

are needed. 

Keywords 

Berries consumption, age, women, anti-aging, liking, antioxidants, berries properties 

 



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1. Introduction 

The potential health benefits of foods are one of the main reasons why consumers prefer to ingest 

certain type of products over others (Jaeger, Axten, Wohlers, & Sun-Waterhouse, 2009; Roininen, 

Lähteenmäki, & Tuorila, 1999; Roininen et al., 2001). Women, in particular, have been found to engage 

in more health-promoting behaviors than men and to have a healthier lifestyle and a greater interest in 

eating a diet that may benefit their long-term health, compared to men. In fact, numerous evidence 

shows that women’s diets are healthier than men’s (Arganini, Saba, Comitato, Virgili, & Turrini, 2012; 

Huntley, 2009; Prättälä et al., 2006); however, age is an important factor that can alter their food 

consumption habits, especially when taking into account that two of the main determinants of food 

choices for women are: disease prevention and the desire to delay the aging (Bennett, Clarkea, 

Kowalski, & Crocker, 2017; Fraser, Welch, Luben, Bingham, & Day, 2000; Holcomb, 1995).  

The consumption of food rich in antioxidants has increased steadily in the last decades, due to the 

numerous health-promoting properties attributed to them (Huntley, 2009). Berries (blueberry, raspberry, 

strawberry and blackberry) have plenty of attributes. Besides being low in calories and a rich source of 

fiber, ascorbic acid, carotenes and polysaccharides, they are a rich source of bioactive compounds, such 

as phenolic compounds (including flavonoids such as anthocyanins and procyanidins), tannins and 

phenolic acids, substances that are considered antioxidants. These bioactive compounds have received 

considerable attention from researchers. So far, it has been found that they improve the markers of heart 

disease, help to prevent cancer of the digestive system, reduce the risk of mortality from stroke and 

improve the immune system (Gramza-Michałowska, Sidor, & Kulczynski, 2017; Heinonen, 2007; Ros 

et al., 2010). Clinical evidence indicates that a diet rich in berries helps to control and prevent chronic 

diseases. Also, consumption of berries improves the postprandial glycemic response, and its long-term 

intake can improve the lipid profile in plasma, reduce chronic inflammation and benefit cardiovascular 

health, especially in populations with a basal metabolic profile at higher risk of metabolic syndrome 

(Yang & Kortesniemi, 2015).  

In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of research on the health benefits of berries 

antioxidants, many of them highlighting the effects on women (Huntley, 2009; Lehtonen et al., 2011). 

The studies focused on evaluating the consumption of berries in women have found that a relatively 

higher intake of these fruits is associated with lower rates of cognitive deterioration in older women 

(Devore, Kang, Breteler, & Grodstein, 2012), a reduction in memory loss (O’connor, 2012), and with a 

healthy aging in women over 50, which is mainly due to their flavonoids (Samieri, Sun, Townsend, 

Rimm, & Grodstein, 2014). Berries intake can also help to prevent breast cancer (Aiyer, Srivani, & 

Gupta, 2011) and to delay aging (Willis, Shukitt-Hale, & Joseph, 2009). It has also been found that the 

consumption of berries is positively related to a lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases 

(cardiovascular disease mortality) in post-menopausal women (Mink et al., 2007).  

The numerous attributes of berries, make its consumption on women worth studying, yet identifying 

how the consumption of these fruits varies according to women’s age, may further help in creating 



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policies to promote their consumption. Due to the above the aim of this paper is to determine if the 

consumption of berries among women is influenced by their age; also, to identify if the reasons why 

berries are ingested vary with age.  

 

2. Method 

2.1 Sample  

A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco, Mexico, a region producing berries 

(Housni et al., 2018). The sample to be studied were 240 women between 18 and 65 years old, from 

Ciudad Guzman, Jalisco, Mexico. The sample was divided into the following age groups, according to 

the classification of Petry (2002): women from 18 to 35 years old, who are considered as Young Adult 

Women (YAW); women from 36 to 55 years old, considered as Middle-Aged Adult Women (MAW) 

and women from 56 to 65 years old, who are considered as Old Adult Women (OAW). The 

sociodemographic characteristics of the sample appears in Table 1. The average age of YAW was 24.88 

 4.77, MAW was 43.35  5.66 and OAW was 60.48  2.95. The highest monthly salary was that of 

OAW (363.81  325.90 USD), however, this group obtained the lowest average with respect to school 

years taken. YAW turned out to be the group with the highest number of school years attended (12.26  

3.69). 

 

Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of the Three Age Groups 

  Young Adult 

Women (YAW) 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

Older Adult 

Women (OAW) 

Age ranges1  From 18 to 35 years 

old 

From 36 to 55 years 

old 

From 56 years to 

65 years old 

n  113 77 50 

%  47.08 32.09 20.83 

Age  Mean 24.88 43.35 60.48 

 SD 4.77 5.66 2.95 

Monthly income2 Mean 307.36 354.30 363.81 

SD 288.13 289.59 325.90 

Min 41.77 52.21 78.32 

 Max 2,088.48 1,566.36 2,088.48 

School years completed Mean 12.26 11.49 8.66 

SD 3.69 4.37 4.81 

Min 2 1 0 

 Max 19 19 19 

1Age classification according with Petry (2002). 

2American dollars (USD). The minimum monthly wage in Mexico in 2018 was 138.36 USD, according 

with Service tax administration (2018). 



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2.2 Instrument and Data Collection  

An adapted Food Consumption Frequency Questionnaire validated for the Mexican population was 

applied (Macedo-Ojeda et al., 2013), which asked about berries consumption, considering as such: 

blueberry, raspberry, strawberry and blackberry. The method used was the same as the used by Housni 

et al. (2018), where the consumption of blueberry, raspberry and blackberry was questioned in grams or 

cups, and strawberry consumption in grams or pieces. The consumption frequency ranges used were 

those proposed by Willet (2013), which were chosen according to the exact and personal frequencies of 

each participant, which were also captured for further analysis. The amount of consumption was the 

one consumed each time berries are eaten. Subsequently, the reasons why berries are ingested were 

questioned. The application of surveys was carried out in local markets where berries are sold. The 

information was obtained by personnel with knowledge in health of the University Center of the South, 

University of Guadalajara, who were trained in the application of surveys. 

2.3 Statistic Analysis  

The data obtained was converted to monthly frequency, considering the daily consumption as a 

maximum of 30 days per month. The information regarding the amounts of intake was converted to 

grams, using as reference the weight of the established portions of berries, in the Mexican System of 

Equivalent Foods [SMAE] (Pérez, Palacios, Castro, & Flores, 2014). Per capita daily consumption was 

obtained, multiplying the frequency of consumption of each berrie, of each woman, by the amount of 

consumption referred, and dividing the result by 30 days per month. Finally, the consumption 

frequency data of each berrie type was averaged to obtain the average frequency of the four berries 

evaluated. In the case of the quantities, the consumption information of the four types of berries was 

added, to obtain the total consumption of all the berries, in grams, every time they are consumed and 

per capita by day. In addition to the averages and total consumption quantities, the standard deviation 

of the information was calculated.  

The consumption reasons were grouped in the two most mentioned. The rest was considered as “other 

reasons”. Frequency of participants was described as well as the percentage they represented for each 

motive. Per capita daily consumption and standard deviation were calculated for each reason.  

The data was analyzed to evaluate its distribution by means of the Shapiro-Willk test. Spearman’s rank 

correlations coefficient was applied, to correlate the age and the consumption data of each age group 

and the reason of consumption according to the age group. Size of Correlation Coefficient was taken 

from Mukaka (2012). A value of p < 0.05 was considered significant. To assess differences in berries 

intakes and reasons of consumption between age groups, an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was 

performed with a post hoc multiple comparison Bonferroni test. Descriptive statistics and statistical 

analysis was carried out using STATA/SE V12. 

2.4 Etic Considerations   

This research is considered without risk in accordance with the Regulation of the General Health Law 

on Health Research (Official Gazette of the Federation [DOF], 2014), for which the consent of the 



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participants was granted orally. The data were confidential and the name, address or telephone number 

of the participants was not requested, as it was irrelevant for this study and for the protection of the 

subject’s identity. 

 

3. Results 

3.1 Consumption of Berries   

Table 2 shows the consumption of berries by age group, including number of women who consume 

berries, frequency and amount of consumption and daily consumption per capita. It was identified that 

the percentage of YAW that consumes berries presented a greater tendency to ingest them. While 71.68% 

of YAW consume berries, only 60% of OAW reported consuming them, nevertheless, there were no 

statistically significant differences between the groups (p = 0.318). Despite the above, OAW were the 

ones who ingest berries most frequently with 5.6  8.37 times per month. Regarding the amounts of 

consumption per capita, per day, YAW eats an amount of 89.35  120.21 grams of berries, nevertheless, 

as age increases, consumption decreases to 73.32  96.77 grams per day, but when women reach a 

stage where they are more than 56 years old, the intake increases to 89.38  146.59 grams.  

Although the per capita daily consumption is similar in YAW and OAW, the ration consumed each time 

berries are eaten in YAW is considerably higher than the other groups. However, no statistically 

significant differences were found. Spearman’s rank correlations did not show strong correlation 

between any consumption variables and age, however, a negative correlation was find in MAW 

consumption (rho = -0.226 / p = 0.047*), which confirms that in this period, as age increase 

consumption decrease. ANOVA test neither showed any significant different between age groups (See 

Table 2). 

 

Table 2. Berries Consumption by Age Group 

  Young Adult 

Women (YAW) 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

Older Adult 

Women (OAW) 

 

Variable     ANOVA 

Consumption n 81 50 30 

0.318 
% 71.68 64.94 60 

 rho 0.109a -0.226a 0.142a 

 p-value 0.246 0.047* 0.324 

Monthly frequency of 

consumption   

Mean 5.18 4.56 5.6 

0.559 
SD 5.82 6.01 8.37 

rho 0.056a 0.020a 0.048a 

 p-value 0.549 0.858 0.737 

Quantity consumed in grams1 Mean 423.95 357.01 332.98 
0.517 

SD 715.71 617.23 573.95 



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rho 0.195a -0.102a 0.123a 

p-value 0.038* 0.377 0.391 

Daily consumption per capita 

in grams 

Mean 89.35 73.32 89.38 

0.626 
SD 120.21 96.77 146.59 

rho 0.246a 0.033a 0.132a 

p-value 0.008* 0.769 0.359 

SD = Standard deviation; rho = Spearman’s rank correlation; p value from Spearman’s rank correlation; 

ANOVA = p value from Analysis of Variance test between age groups; A value of p <0.05 was 

considered significant. 1Grams consumed each time berries are ingested, according to the frequency of 

consumption expressed; * = Statistically significant differences; a = negligible correlation (0.00 to 0.30 

and 0.00 to -0.30), b = low positive correlation (0.30 to 0.50), c = moderate positive correlation (0.50 to 

0.70), d = high positive correlation (0.70 to 0.90), e = very high positive correlation (0.90 to 1.00), 

according with Mukaka (2012).  

 

Although no differences were identified in the ANOVA test, Table 3 shows a multiple comparison 

Bonferroni analysis to identify the exact values between each comparison group. The results of this 

analysis proved that there are no statistical differences between the groups.  

 

Table 3. Multiple Comparison Bonferroni Test in Berries Consumption by Age Group 

   Young Adult 

Women (YAW) 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

Consumption  Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

0.014 

1.000 

 

 Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

-0.060  

0.631 

-0.075 

0.436 

Monthly frequency 

of consumption   

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

-0.615 

1.000 

 

Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

0.423 

1.000 

1.038 

0.900 

Quantity consumed 

in grams 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

-66.936 

1.000 

 

Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

-90.990 

0.930 

-24.054 

1.000 

Daily consumption 

per capita in grams 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

-15.986 

1.000 

 

Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

0.057 

1.000 

16.043 

1.000 

* = Statistically significant differences 



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Table 4 shows the consumption frequencies of berries of each age group. The results show that berries 

consumption frequency of YAW and MAW are mainly into a mid-scale (1-3 times a month to once a 

week) whereas OAW consumption are skewed towards lower frequencies, since 40% of these women 

never consume berries. In the three age groups, daily consumption, from 1 to 3 times, is represented by 

less than 8% of responders. 

 

Table 4. Frequency of Consumption of Berries in Women by Age Group 

Frequency of consumption Young Adult Women 

(YAW) 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

Older Adult 

Women (OAW) 

 n % n % n % 

Never 32 28.32 27 35.06 20 40 

1-3 time a month  27 23.89 14 18.18 9 18 

1 time a week  25 22.12 15 19.48 8 16 

2-4 time a week 22 19.47 18 23.38 7 14 

5-6 time a week 2 1.78 1 1.30 2 4 

1 time a day 3 2.66 2 2.60 3 6 

2-3 time a day 2 1.78 0 0 1 2 

 

3.2 Reasons of Berries Consumption   

The main reasons of consumption for which the women consumers said to ingest berries, were liking 

and the effects that this fruits bring to their health, including the nutritional properties such as 

antioxidants, their content in vitamins, fiber, among others. Some women expressed within this reason, 

that their intake was due to the anti-aging effects of these red fruits and its capabilities to prevent 

diseases such as cancer and diabetes mellitus. The rest of the reasons for consumption expressed were 

incorporated in “other reasons” and included consumption for availability at home or in the market, 

because they are necessary for some culinary preparations and because they are given the product 

because someone in the family works in greenhouses producing berries. 

As it is shown in Table 5, it was found that the principal reason why YAW eats berries is because they 

like them. More than 50% of women of this age group consume berries because this reason, and only 

14.81% eat them for their nutritional, anti-aging or health benefits. As age advances, reasons of 

consumption changes, since 26% of MAW prefer to eat berries because of their proprieties than for 

their taste. When woman reaches 56 years old, the reasons of consumption changes even more, and 

from the half of the YAW who prefer to eat berries for their taste, only 33.33% of OAW, consume them 

for this reason, as the most important motive for consume them are the properties that these foods can 

bring to their health and nutrition (36.67%), including their content in antioxidant which was a highly 

mentioned factor among this group of women.  



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Spearman’s rank correlation showed a low positive correlation between age and liking berries in YAW. 

Same size correlation was found in other reasons of consumption for YAW. A moderate positive 

correlation was find in OAW who consumes berries because they like them and this size correlation 

was also obtained in women of this group who said to eat berries because of their nutritional, health or 

anti-aging proprieties. In no case the correlation was strong enough.  

Frequencies of participants by reason of consumption did not showed correlation, in fact, a negative 

correlation was identified in the case of OAW. ANOVA test showed that the grams of daily per capita 

consumption of berries due to their liking presented statistically significant differences between the 

groups (0.002*). This means that it is verified that age, besides of modify the reason of consumption 

also change the amount of consumption. 

 

Table 5. Reasons of Consumption of Berries in Women by Age Group and Their Daily 

Consumption per Capita in Grams 

  Young Adult 

Women (YAW) 

Middle-Aged 

Adult Women 

(MAW) 

Older Adult 

Women 

(OAW) 

 

Reason of 

consumption 

    ANOVA 

Liking n 41 22 10 0.449 

% 50.63 44 33.33  

DCPC 24.28  22.43 23.62 0.002* 

SD 47.21 28.26 30.58  

rho 0.396b 0.039a 0.640c  

 p 0.012* 0.864 0.046*  

Health, 

nutritional or 

antiaging effects 

n 12 13 11 0.378 

% 14.81 26 36.67  

DCPC 38.13 28.85 25.24 0.863 

SD 81.56 28.19 32.35  

rho -0.139a 0.143a 0.588c  

p 0.700 0.655 0.044*  

Other reasons n 28 15 9 0.589 

% 34.56 30 30  

DCPC 38.45 35.64 70.28 0.392 

SD 50.42 70.86 121.14  

rho 0.425b 0.174a -0.066a  

p 0.010* 0.289 0.773  

SCF rho 0.072a 0.269a -0.131a  

p 0.523 0.059 0.498  

DCPC: Daily consumption per capita in grams; SD = Standard deviation; rho = Spearman’s rank 



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correlation; p value from Spearman’s rank correlation; ANOVA = p value from Analysis of Variance 

test between age groups by frequency of participants and DCPC in each reason of consumption; A 

value of p <0.05 was considered significant. SCF = Spearman correlation’s in frequencies of 

participants; * = Statistically significant differences; a = negligible correlation (0.00 to 0.30 and 0.00 to 

-0.30), b = low positive correlation (0.30 to 0.50), c = moderate positive correlation (0.50 to 0.70), d = 

high positive correlation (0.70 to 0.90), e = very high positive correlation (0.90 to 1.00), according with 

Mukaka (2012).  

 

Table 6 presents a multiple comparison Bonferroni test in reasons of berries intake and daily 

consumption per capita in grams, between the age groups. This was due to the identification of 

statistically significant differences between women who said they consumed berries due to liking. 

Statistically significant differences were identified between daily per capita consumption of YAW and 

OAW (0.011*) and of MAW and OAW (0.002*) in this intake reason. In the other variables, as in the 

ANOVA test, no statistically significant differences were identified.  

 

Table 6. Multiple Comparison Bonferroni Test in Reasons of Berries Consumption in Women by 

Age Group and Their Daily Consumption per Capita in Grams 

    Young Adult 

Women (YAW) 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

Liking  Consumption  Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

-0.094 

0.640 

 

 Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

-0.051 

1.000 

0.042 

1.000 

Daily 

consumption 

per capita in 

grams 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

-39.925 

0.741 

 

 Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

135.822 

0.011* 

175.748 

0.002* 

Health, 

nutritional 

or antiaging 

effects 

Consumption  Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

0.083 

0.661 

 

Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

0.083 

0.719 

0 

1.000 

Daily 

consumption 

per capita in 

grams 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

-6.192 

1.000 

 

Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

17.045 

1.000 

23.237 

1.000 

Other 

reasons 

Consumption Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

-0.017 

1.000 

 



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Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

-0.142 

0.932 

-0.125 

1.000 

Daily 

consumption 

per capita in 

grams 

Middle-Aged Adult 

Women (MAW) 

 

p-value 

10.446 

1.000 

 

Older Adult Women 

(OAW) 

 

p-value 

-56.053 

0.694 

-66.5 

0.568 

* = Statistically significant differences 

 

4. Discussion 

In first instance, it could seem that the consumption of berries is not related to the age of the women, 

since no correlations were found between the intakes and frequencies of consumption and the age. In 

addition, having found that the amount of YAW that consume berries has a trend in a greater 

consumption than OAW, could indicate that age is not an important factor in the consumption of these 

fruits and that in fact, there are more young women who consume berries in comparison with those 

who are older. However, interesting patterns of intake were identified. When women is younger 

consumes around 89 grams by day, but as age increase, consumption decrease more than 16 grams, 

nonetheless, when women reaches a higher age, above 56 years old, the consumption returns to 89 

grams. Now, what is interesting in this patterns is the reason why women is eating this fruits.  

When women is between 18 and 35 years old, liking berries result to be the most import reason for 

consuming them, however, as age increase, reasons of consumption changes, and get closer to a 

constantly worry for improve health, prevent chronic disease and delay aging. This coincide with the 

results of Chambers, Lobb, Butler, & Traill (2008) since, like them, it was identified that the older 

participants (60+ years old in their case) were more likely to make food choices based on health 

considerations, compared with younger women.  

Likewise, the fact that oldest women consume berries mainly due to their nutritional properties, 

coincides with studies carried out in places such as Germany and United Kingdom, where the 

population refers concern about eating foods that provide health benefits (Farruggiaa, Crescimannoa, 

Galatia, & Tinervia, 2016; Huntley, 2009). In this sense, it can be affirmed that in Mexico, as the age 

increases, berries consumption revolve more around the health and nutrition than their taste, but the 

quantities and frequency of consumption are low, since as it was possible to verify, berries are 

consumed mainly occasionally in the three age groups studied. However, in spite of the low amounts of 

consumption, the results showed that statistically the per capita daily consumption of berries is different 

between the age groups depending of the reason of consumption, especially in the liking reason. Thus, 

although not completely, this study can find similarity to the one referred by Gibson, Wardle and Watts 

(1998) who mentioned that beliefs and attitudes about the relationship between diet and disease, have 

an important influence on food consumption. But nevertheless, although the concern for health, 

nutrition and anti-aging leads OAW to resume the consumption that was observed in the YAW group, 



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this motivation is not enough to consume berries every day. 

According to Brug et al. (1995), Laaksonen et al. (2016) and Roininen et al. (1999) the sensory 

characteristics of food and especially its taste and satisfaction, can be considered as one of the key 

factors in the acceptance of food. As well as the preference for certain food (Awuni, Kye-Duodu, 

Duodu, Zotor, & Ellahi, 2018). In short, this pattern was identified in the three age groups, however, it 

was much more important in YAW and MAW, due to in OAW liking berries took second place, 

preferring to consume them for their nutritional, health or anti-aging properties. In YAW and MAW 

liking berries was more important than their properties, to consume them, same as in the studies of 

Holm and Kildevang (1996) and Wardle (1993); even though authors such as Laaksonen et al. (2016), 

Tang, Kälviäinen and Tuorila (2001) and Viljanen, Heiniö, Juvonen, Kössö and Puupponen-Pimiä 

(2014) claim that the chemical components contained in berries (such as phenolic compounds and 

organic acids) induce an acidity that has a strong impact on their sensory quality, which affects the 

acceptance of consumption and may have a negative influence on the acceptation. However, according 

to Laaksonen, Ahola and Sandell (2013) for some, this may be a positive feature to some extent, which 

could be the case of YAW.  

As mention, when age increases, the importance given to the flavor of the berries diminishes and they 

are consumed for their properties. According to Pohjanheimo and Sandell (2009) and Verbeke (2006) 

consumers who consider health as an important reason for choosing food and in order to obtain a 

benefit to their health, can accept more bitter flavors, compared to people who consider the comfort, 

taste and familiarity of food, more important than the benefit that these can provide to their health and 

that are not willing to choose healthiness over the taste of the product. In this sense, it is confirmed that 

age is a factor that marks a trend toward the flavors go to second term by preferring to prevent diseases 

and slow aging through the consumption of berries. Contributing to this, it has been reported that older 

women are more attached to a diet than younger women (Lietchy, 2012), regardless of its taste.  

Kaume, Gbur, DiBrezzo, Howard and Devareddy (2014) suggest that consuming 45 grams of berries 

daily, like blackberry for 9 months, can provide certain health benefits, such as prevent bone loss 

induced by smoking in postmenopausal women, however, the results of the present study are far from 

this consumption, but why, if per capita daily consumption indicates more than 73 grams in all groups? 

Even though daily consumption per capita of the three age groups analyzed in this study could suggest 

that this ration is exceeded, it is important to remember that we talk about averages and when 

frequency of consumption is analyzed as an isolated variable, the daily consumption turn to be 

occasional, as the frequency of intake does not exceeded 6 times per month, although when consumed, 

ingested amounts are higher than 300 grams, i.e., greater than 1 cup of 250 grams, according with the 

SMAE (Pérez et al., 2014).  

So far, the consumption of berries has shown to provide multiple benefits, especially to old adult 

women. In this specific age group, berries are of great help delaying the onset of cardiovascular 

diseases and cancer; help to improve memory and avoid cognitive problems in this period where these 



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functions decline (Huntley, 2009). In accordance with Shukitt-Hale, Lau and Joseph (2008) early 

nutritional interventions with berries may even prevent or delay the onset of diseases such as 

Alzheimer’s disease, because they can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. As well, berries 

consumption help control body weight (Bertoia et al., 2016), and also, it has been even found that 

berries prevent and help in the treatment of viral diseases such as influenza (Gramza-Michałowska et 

al., 2017). Due to this, consumption in OAW should be promoted, because statistically, it turned out to 

be the age group that consumes less berries (60% of participants in this age range). To this point, in first 

world countries, such as Finland, Berries are part of traditional diets (Heinonen, 2007), nevertheless, in 

Mexico the consumption of berries is in a gradual process of addition to the diet, due to the important 

increase that has had its agricultural production (Housni el al., 2018). 

 

5. Conclusions  

Although it might seem that the consumption of berries is independent of age, this study shows an 

interesting relationship between them. While the daily amounts of intake are statistically equal in the 

three groups, descriptive analysis showed that although MAW consumption is lower compared to YAW, 

when women are reaching a stage of older adulthood, consumption returns to the levels observed in the 

younger ages, but the consumption motives diverge. To be more specific, the main motives switch from 

the pleasant flavor of the berries to those related to the potential of berries to delay the onset of chronic 

diseases and to slow down aging. From these findings, we conclude that age is a factor that influences 

the decisions of berries consumption. Also, it was found that age actually modify the daily per capita 

ingested amounts depending of the reason why are ingested, especially in liking. However, nutritional 

programs to promote the consumption of these fruits in the category of OAW are needed, since 

currently, only 60 percent of the group consumes them.  

When consumption frequency is considered as a single variable, we find that consumption is only 

occasional; on average, women of all groups consume berries less than 5.6 times a month, that is, less 

than twice a week. For this reason, future studies evaluating the consumption of berries, or food in 

general, should consider both the quantity and the frequency of consumption as isolated and joint 

variables, for example, expressing the data of each one, but also including per capita daily consumption, 

obtained from these data. In Mexico, one of the world’s top producers of berries (Housni et al., 2018), 

the advertising of the attributes of berries and the implementation of nutritional education programs are 

needed to increase their consumption levels. These will benefit all adult women, and especially those 

reaching the stage of older adulthood. 

 

Acknowledgments  

The authors thank to the Professional Development Program (PRODEP) and the trained staff of the 

University Center of the South who collaborated with the data collection. 

 



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Funding 

This work was supported by the Professional Higher Education Development Program 

(PRODEP-Academic Groups). 

 

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