Abstract:

This paper provides the main results of research carried out at the beginning of 2002, based on a 2,000 case survey, concerning lifestyles in Uruguayan society. The main objective is to contribute to the discussion about the usefulness of the lifestyle approach simultaneously as a complement and a superation of traditional socio-economic approaches dedicated to understand the behaviour of consumers. The study considers several aspects usually overlooked in applied research: preferences in leisure, self-images, moral choices, family and religion, cultural patterns, prestige, and expectations about self-development. Empirical analysis attempts to relate lifestyles with changes in frequency of consumption of ten solid and liquid foods that are included, in a greater or lesser way, in the nutrition habits of Uruguayans.