Self-Esteem and Fruit and Vegetable Intake in Women and Men

Abstract

Influences on food choices are multifactorial, and limited research has been reported on the role of social-psychological variables. Earlier studies have linked self-esteem with a variety of health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to extend the research to examine the relationship of self-esteem to dietary behaviors, specifically the intake of fruits and vegetables and their key nutrients. Subjects were 155 married couples in a stratified random sample of households in one mid-western state. Husbands and wives were interviewed separately in their own homes. Independent variables were age, education, income, body mass index, and self-esteem.The dependent variables were number of servings and variety of vegetables and fruits per week and energy-adjusted intakes of fiber, folate, and vitamins A and C. Self-esteem was measured by the Rosenberg questionnaire, while dietary intake was assessed by a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Women reported significantly more servings of fruits per week, greater variety in both fruit and vegetable choices, and higher energy-adjusted nutrient intakes than did their husbands. Women met Food Guide Pyramid (FGP) recommendations for fruit intake and approached the recommendation for vegetable servings. Men fell short of FGP recommendations for both fruit and vegetables. After adjustment for age, education, income, and body mass index, self-esteem was a significant predictor of vitamin C and folate intake among women and folate intake among men. No other dietary variables were associated with self-esteem, although for men there was a trend for increased weekly servings of vegetables and increased variety in vegetable choices with higher self-esteem. One implication for practice is that age and education appear to be far stronger factors contributing to fruit and vegetable intake than is self-esteem. Additional research is needed to clarify the strength of self-esteem as a factor in specific food choices, especially among subpopulations.