Explaining Vegetable Consumption among Young Adults: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Davide Menozzi,Giovanni Sogari,Cristina Mora

doi:10.3390/nu7095357

Davide Menozzi, Giovanni Sogari + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7095357

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Journal: Nutrients	Publication Date: Sep 10, 2015
Citations: 106	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Parma

Abstract

Although fruit and vegetable consumption is highly recommended for a healthy and balanced daily diet, several European countries do not meet these recommendations. In Italy, only 45% of young people are consuming at least one portion of vegetables per day. Therefore, this paper aims to understand the main determinants of vegetables consumption among young adults to suggest possible intervention strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a samples of Italian students (n = 751), using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as a conceptual framework. A structural equation model (SEM) was developed to test the TPB predictors for vegetable consumption, and the role of background factors (socio-demographic and personal characteristics) in improving the TPB model’s explaining power. Overall, 81% and 68%, respectively, of intentions and behaviour variance is explained by the TPB model. Socio-demographic and personal characteristics were found to influence intentions and behaviour indirectly by their effects on the theory’s more proximal determinants. Interventions should be targeted to improve perceived behavioural control (PBC), attitudes and subjective norms that significantly affect intentions. Tailored interventions for male students, enrolled in courses other than food science, and doing less physical activity may have a larger effect on behavioural change.

Highlights

Fruit and vegetables (F&V) are important elements for a healthy, balanced daily diet, bringing us vitamins, minerals, fibre, some energy, and other minor components such as phytochemicals which are potentially beneficial for our health
Household data presented by the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) show that total F&V consumption ranged from 577 g/day in Poland to 196 g/day in Iceland, and vegetable consumption varied from a minimum of 109 g/day in Norway to a maximum of 284 g/day in Cyprus
Subjective norms and perceived behavioural control (PBC) are all significant predictors of intentions, supporting respectively H1, H2 and H3

Summary

Introduction

Fruit and vegetables (F&V) are important elements for a healthy, balanced daily diet, bringing us vitamins, minerals, fibre, some energy, and other minor components such as phytochemicals which are potentially beneficial for our health. Proper nutrition and high intakes of fruit and vegetables assist in preventing a number of chronic diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and musculoskeletal disorders [1,2,3]. Household data presented by the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) show that total F&V consumption ranged from 577 g/day in Poland to 196 g/day in Iceland, and vegetable consumption varied from a minimum of 109 g/day in Norway to a maximum of 284 g/day in Cyprus.

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