Associated Factors of Milk Consumption among Students: Using Health Belief Model (HBM)

Background Among various food products, milk and dairy products are among the most basic nutrient foods. The consumption of milk and dairy products in Iran is much lower than the global rate of per capita consumption. This study used Health Belief Model to determine associated factors of milk consumption among 7-9th students. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional descriptive analytical study was conducted on seventh to ninth grade students in the city of Qom. Using multistage cluster sampling method, a total of 390 students were enrolled onto the study. In order to collect data in this study, we used a researcher made questionnaire which was designed based on health belief model. Using SPSS version 20.0 software, the collected data was analyzed via descriptive statistics and independent t-test and Chi-square test. Results Of all the participants, 41% consumed milk daily and 59% did not consume milk. The perceived benefits (P=0.007), perceived barriers (P< 0.001), perceived self-efficacy (P<0.001) had statistically significant relationships with daily milk consumption. Accordingly, the scores of perceived benefits and perceived self-efficacy for milk consumption among students who consumed milk daily were higher than those in students who did not consume milk daily. Conclusion The daily milk consumption associated with perceived benefits, perceived barriers and perceived selfefficacy. Therefore, there is a need to utilize educational programs based on health belief model for increasing of milk consumption.