PSYCHOSOCIAL CORRELATES OF DIETARY INTAKE: Advancing Dietary Intervention

Abstract

Psychosocial variables that predict dietary behavior become important targets for change in nutrition education programs. Psychosocial variables in models with higher predictability provide more effective levers to promote healthy dietary change. A review of the literature on models with psychosocial variables predicting dietary fat and fruit and vegetable consumption revealed generally low predictiveness, R2 < 0.3 (where R2 is the squared multiple correlation of the statistical model). No single theory provided models that regularly out-predicted others. When models predicted narrower categories of behavior (e.g. milk or salad consumption), predictiveness tended to be higher. Substantial problems were revealed in the psychometrics of both the independent and dependent variables. Little theory-based research has been conducted with adolescents, and the few studies done with children had low predictiveness. In order to increase the predictiveness of models, future research should combine variables from several theories, attend to the psychometrics of all variables, and incorporate variables that moderate the relationship of psychosocial to dietary behavior (e.g. genetics of taste, stage in the life course). Refinements on current research would include longitudinal designs and use of non-self-report methods of dietary behavior to supplement the self-report methods. Improved understanding of dietary behavior should lead to more effective dietary behavior change interventions.

Family food environment and dietary behaviors likely to promote fatness in 5–6 year-old children

“…Baranowski et al reports 37 that modest explanation of variance in dietary intake is the norm. Further, although FFQs are considered to be valuable in the clarification of major dietary patterns in both adults 38 and children, 39 it is possible that low variance might be explained by difficulties in accurately assessing all aspects of dietary intake.…”

The contribution of psychosocial and home environmental factors in explaining eating behaviours in adolescents

“…The psychosocial environmental model explained most of the variance in fruit intake in both boys (47%) and girls (42%). In most previously conducted studies, explained variances of less than 30% were found (Baranowski et al, 1999;Neumark-Sztainer et al, 2003). Differences in results can be caused by differences in measures and analysing methods.…”

Socio-demographic differences in food habits and preferences of school adolescents in Jiangsu Province, China

“…Some of these factors are endogenous to the individual child, but others are environmental. The latter include the foods made available to children inside and outside the home and the modelling of food behaviours by caregivers, especially parents (Crockett & Sims, 1995;Birch & Fisher, 1998;Baranowski et al, 1999;Birch, 1999). Studies show that current eating environment in developed countries fosters food preferences and food selections inconsistent with healthy dietary guidelines, thus promoting excess weight gain and obesity (Crockett & Sims, 1995;Birch, 1999;St-Onge et al, 2003).…”