Psychosocial mediators between socioeconomic status and dietary habits among Japanese older adults

The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial mediators between socioeconomic status (SES) and eating habits in older Japanese adults.

A questionnaire was mailed to a representative sample of people who were 60 years and older (N=1,000) living in a suburban area within the Tokyo city metropolitan limits, in Japan. There were 552 effective participants in the study.

Dietary habits were evaluated by assessing the diversity of food that was consumed. SES was evaluated by educational attainment and household income. Four dimensions of psychosocial mediators were assessed: control expectancy, self-efficacy, social influence, and social support. Indirect effects of SES through the mediators were evaluated by using a multiple mediator model.

The relationship between education and dietary habits was mediated by three variables excluding social support. Especially, social influence had the strongest mediating effect. These three significant variables explained the majority of differences in dietary habits resulting from education. The effects of household income were also similarly mediated by the identical variables.

Control expectancy, self-efficacy, and social influence mediate the relationship between SES and dietary habits.