title: Variables of the Theory of Planned Behavior are associated with family meal frequency among adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine associations between Theory of Planned Behavior variables and the family meal frequency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifth-through seventh-grade students (n = 236) completed a self-administered questionnaire in their classrooms. The relationships between Theory of Planned Behavior variables (intention, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) and family meal frequency were examined with Spearman correlations and multiple logistic regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive intention, positive subjective norm of family eating together, and lower perceived difficulty of making time increased the odds of adolescents having family dinners at least 5 d/wk compared with adolescents having family dinners 2 days or fewer per week. Positive intention and lower perceived difficulty for making time increased odds of having family breakfasts at least 5 d/wk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To increase family meal frequency, nutrition educators are encouraged to focus on increasing intention, creating positive norms about the family meal, and reducing perceived barriers caused by time conflicts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition Sciences, Kagawa Nutrition University, Sakado-shi, Saitama, Japan. ekumi@eiyo.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eto
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Isobel R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Contento
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adachi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet; D005190:Family; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological