Conscientiousness and fruit and vegetable consumption: exploring behavioural intention as a mediator

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Health Behavior Research

Background:

• Conscientiousness is a key personality trait linked to health behaviors.
• Understanding factors influencing fruit and vegetable consumption is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between conscientiousness and fruit and vegetable consumption.
• To determine if behavioral intention mediates this relationship, guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Main Methods:

• A large adult sample (N=2136) completed online questionnaires.
• Measures included conscientiousness, behavioral intentions for fruit/vegetable intake, and self-reported consumption.
• Statistical analyses included correlation and hierarchical multiple regression.

Main Results:

• Conscientiousness and its facets positively correlated with behavioral intention and self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption.
• Conscientiousness, responsibility, industriousness, order, and virtue predicted behavior after controlling for demographics.
• Behavioral intention fully mediated the link between conscientiousness and fruit/vegetable consumption.

Conclusions:

• Lower conscientiousness is associated with reduced intentions to consume fruits and vegetables.
• Behavioral intention plays a critical role in linking conscientiousness to actual fruit and vegetable consumption.
• Findings support the Theory of Planned Behavior in the context of personality and dietary habits.