Food Availability, Motivational-Related Factors, and Food Consumption: A Path Model Study with Children

Beatriz Pereira, Pedro Rosário, José Carlos Núñez, Daniela Rosendo, Cristina Roces and Paula Magalhães
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Beatriz Pereira: Department of Applied Psychology, University of Minho, 4710-052 Braga, Portugal
Pedro Rosário: Department of Applied Psychology, University of Minho, 4710-052 Braga, Portugal
José Carlos Núñez: Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
Daniela Rosendo: Department of Applied Psychology, University of Minho, 4710-052 Braga, Portugal
Cristina Roces: Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
Paula Magalhães: Department of Applied Psychology, University of Minho, 4710-052 Braga, Portugal

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 24, 1-13

Abstract: The promotion of children’s healthy eating is a key public health priority. However, children’s food consumption is a complex phenomenon with several contributing factors, and there is a call to continue developing comprehensive models with several variables acting simultaneously. The present study aimed to examine the role different motivational-related variables (e.g., self-regulation, self-efficacy) may play in children’s consumption of healthy and unhealthy foods. To address this goal, data were collected in a sample of 242 fifth and sixth graders with access to both healthy and unhealthy foods at home. A path model was conducted to analyze networks of relationships between motivational-related variables and children’s healthy and unhealthy eating. The gender variable was included as a covariate to control its effect. The data showed that self-regulation for healthy eating mediates the relationship between the predictor variables (i.e., knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy) and the type of food consumption (healthy and unhealthy). Current data contribute to understanding the complexity behind food consumption by providing a comprehensive model with motivational-related factors associated with both healthy and unhealthy eating. The present findings are likely to help inform the development of early preventive interventions focused on the promotion of healthy eating.

Keywords: food consumption; healthy eating; motivational-related factors; food availability; self-regulation; self-efficacy; children; path model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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