Social-cognitive determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption among Rafsanjan female students, 2018-19: Application of social cognitive theory

Healthy eating habits in childhood and adolescence prevent many chronic diseases and some types of cancer in adulthood. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate factors affecting fruit and vegetable consumption among female students in Rafsanjan (Southern Iran), based on the social cognitive theory (SCT). This study was performed on 516 female students (7th-9th grade) in 2018. The data collection tools included a demographic information questionnaire and fruits and vegetable consumption behavior assessment and its determinants based on SCT. Data were analyzed by SPSS- 16 software and independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation test, and multivariate regression analysis at a significant level of 0.05. The average fruit intake was 3.55±1.88, and vegetable consumption was 3.99±2.60 units per day. The results show a significant positive correlation between SCT and fruit and vegetable consumption (p<0.01). Based on the multivariate regression analysis, Behavioral skills (B=0.163, p<0.001) and understanding of the environment (B=0.201, p<0.001), were the most important predictor of consumption of vegetables and fruit, respectively. More than half of the students consumed less than 4 units of fruit and vegetable per day. Therefore, designing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based interventions with a focus on social determinants is recommended.