Exploration and forecasting of behaviours and factors relating to fruit and vegetable intake among seniors in the community

Abstract

Objective: The present study investigated the current status of fruit and vegetable intake among seniors and assessed the relationship between personal background factors, social psychological factors and environmental factors of the study participants and their fruit and vegetable consumption behaviour. Design: Research data were collected through individual interviews using a questionnaire developed by the authors. SPSS for Windows 15·0 statistical software was used to process and analyse the data. Setting: Elderly individuals sampled from all twenty-nine administration units of Keelung City's Renai District were interviewed. Subjects: Study participants included 398 residents aged 65 years or older. Results: On average, study participants ate five daily servings of fruits and vegetables on 2·86 d/week. The important variables influencing fruit and vegetable consumption were education level, outcome expectancy, social support, self-efficacy, frequency of dining out and role modelling. Educated participants consumed more fruits and vegetables than those without education. Outcome expectancy, social support, self-efficacy and role modelling had positive impacts on fruit and vegetable intake, but frequency of dining out had a negative impact on fruit and vegetable intake. The significant predictors of fruit and vegetable intake behaviour were education level, outcome expectancy, social support and frequency of dining out. Among those variables, social support was the most influential factor. Conclusions: Our findings supported the conclusion that health education strategies to increase fruit and vegetable intake among seniors should include the variables of social support and outcome expectancy.

Psychological correlates of habitual diet in healthy adults.

“…These are covered briefly because of the very limited dietary data obtained and because they often recapitulate the findings of the now extensive earlier literature. Irrespective of whether the design is cross-sectional (de Bruijn et al, 2012a; Erinosho et al, 2015; Hsu, Liao, Chu, Yang, & Chen, 2015; Menozzi, Sogari, & Mora, 2015; Szczepanska, Scholz, Liszewska, & Luszczynska, 2013 [this also included a longitudinal component]; Tak et al, 2013) or longitudinal (albeit over weeks; Allom & Mullan, 2012; Reyes Fernández et al, 2015; Godinho, Alvarez, Lima, & Schwarzer, 2014; Kothe & Mullan, 2015; Lange, Corbett, Lippke, Knoll, & Schwarzer, 2015; Tomasone et al, 2015) and with various covariates, self-efficacy again emerged as a frequent predictor of fruit and/or vegetable intake (see Table 7 for summary). Habit strength was also identified again as an important factor (see Table 7 for summary).…”

Stages of Change in Dairy Intake among Older Adults: Application of the Transtheoretical Model

“…The structured questionnaire comprised five sections that were designed based on previous studies [31] in order to analyze the beliefs regarding IK, IC, IP, and ISE of dairy product consumers. To ensure validity, a public health expert, a dietitian, and a health education expert were invited to give feedback.…”