title: Psychological and social predictors of changes in fruit and vegetable consumption over 12 months following behavioral and nutrition education counseling.
abstract: This study assessed psychological and social factors predicting 12-month changes in fruit and vegetable consumption achieved by 271 men and women from a low-income population randomized to brief behavioral and nutrition education counseling. Greater increases in fruit and vegetable intake were achieved in the behavioral than in the nutrition education condition (1.49 vs. 0.87 portions per day, p=.021). Increases were predicted by baseline social support for dietary change but not by baseline psychological measures. However, short-term (8-week) changes in dietary self-efficacy, encouragement, anticipated regret, perceived benefits, and knowledge of recommended intake predicted 12-month changes in fruit and vegetable consumption independently of gender, age, ethnicity, income, and baseline intake. These factors accounted for 51% of the superiority of behavioral counseling over nutrition education.
authors.affiliation: University College London, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, London, England. a.steptoe@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steptoe
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perkins-Porras
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rink
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hilton
authors.forename: Francesco P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Cappuccio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005638:Fruit; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D014505:Urban Population; D014675:Vegetables