Predicting Fruit Consumption: Cognitions, Intention, and Habits

Objective: To study predictors of fruit intake in a sample of 627 adults. Design: Potential predictors of fruit intake were assessed at baseline, and fruit intake was assessed at two-week follow-up with self-administered questionnaires distributed by e-mail. Setting: The study was conducted among Dutch adult members of an Internet research panel. Participants: A random sample of 627 adults aged 18-78. Variables Measured: Attitudes, subjective norms, self-efficacy, expected pros and cons, habit strength, intention, and fruit intake. Fruit intake was assessed with a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Analysis: Hierarchical linear and logistic regression analyses. Alpha < .05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Sex, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived pros, different self-efficacy expectations, and habit strength were significantly associated with the intention to eat two or more servings of fruit per day. Age, intentions, and habit strength were significant predictors of consumption of two or more servings of fruit per day. Conclusions and Implications: The results confirm that Theory of Planned Behavior constructs predict fruit intake, and that habit strength and different self-efficacy expectations may be additional determinants relevant to fruit intake. Because habitual behavior is considered to be triggered by environmental cues, fruit promotion interventions should further explore environmental change strategies.