Factors Predicting Consumption of Fonio Grain (Digitaria exilis) among Urban Malian Women of Reproductive Age

Objective: To identify factors influencing intention to consume an indigenous nutritious grain, fonio (Digitaria exilis), among women in Mali. Design: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Health Belief Model. Setting and Participants: One hundred and eight women (31.5 +/- 10.5 years), randomly selected by a 3-stage cluster sampling, Bamako, Mali. Main Outcome Measures: Model constructs scores, intention to consume fonio, and fonio consumption. Analysis: Correlation and multiple regression, Wilcoxon signed rank and Mann-Whitney tests for score comparison. Results: Attitudes toward behavior (beta = .32, P <.05) was the best predictor of intention to consume fonio, which was significantly correlated with fonio consumption (rho = .78, P <.001). Health value (beta = .23, P <.05) was a significant predictor of health behavior identity, which was significantly correlated with attitudes toward behavior (rho = .67, P <0.001) and perceived barriers (rho = .33, P <.001). The latter formed a significant interaction term between intention and behavior (beta = -.72, P <.05). Conclusions and Implications: Fonio consumption could be increased in Bamako through stimulation of positive attitudes, changing men's beliefs, influencing family and neighbors' opinions, and improving the processing and the skills of women who prepare fonio.