The intention to consume healthy food among older Gen-Z: Examining antecedents and mediators

Abstract

This study investigates the perceptions, determinants, and behavioural intentions regarding healthy food choices of Italian people belonging to Gen-Z. By adopting the Health Belief Model (HBM), it combines into an overall framework perceptual (perceived benefits and barriers, perceived notion of healthy food), personal (healthy lifestyle, individual knowledge about healthy food), and emotional motives (satisfaction with healthy food) and investigates their mutual interactions. Moreover, since emotions are key elements in the decision-making process, the study analyses whether and how satisfaction can act as a mediator on the relationships between behavioural intention and the other antecedents, thus conditioning their occurrence. A quantitative survey based on 297 Gen-Z members, aged between 18 and 24 years, has been conducted. Data analysis uses structural equation modelling (SEM) based on partial least square (PLS) approach, to perform reliability and validity checks of the model and to test the relationships among variables. Before PLS-SEM, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is also performed to preliminarily investigate potential sub-groups of items, thus providing a deeper comprehension of the phenomenon. The findings indicate that perceived benefits, healthy lifestyle, healthy food knowledge and satisfaction are direct antecedents of behavioural intention. Different information sources improve knowledge, while healthy food perception and healthy food barriers are positively related to satisfaction. The mediating role of satisfaction emerges prominently, suggesting that the health decision making of Gen-Z is a complex cognitive process resulting from a mix of both rational and emotional forces. Implications for theory and practice are discussed, providing recommendations for improving people of Gen-Z satisfaction with healthy foods and increasing their overall intention to buy and consume them.