Associations Between Diet Quality and Psychosocial and Environmental Factors in Rural Adults
Rebecca A Seguin-Fowler1, Karla L Hanson2, Galen D Eldridge3
1Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
|December 12, 2025
Summary
Healthy eating motivation, confidence, and a supportive food environment are linked to better diet quality in rural adults. These factors encourage fruit and vegetable intake and reduce processed food consumption.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Diet quality is crucial for health, particularly in rural populations facing unique environmental and social challenges.
- Understanding factors influencing dietary choices is key to developing effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the associations between diet quality and psychosocial factors (motivation, confidence, social support) and environmental factors (food availability, food shopping motivation) in rural adults.
- To identify key drivers of healthy eating behaviors within a rural community context.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 2420 rural adults participating in a community-randomized controlled trial.
- Linear regression models were employed to examine relationships between dietary intake variables and psychosocial/environmental factors.
Main Results:
- Positive associations were observed between psychosocial factors and higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, and fiber, alongside better overall diet quality.
- Psychosocial factors were negatively associated with ultraprocessed food consumption, with social support from friends being an exception.
- Availability of fruits and vegetables and motivation for food shopping were positively linked to increased consumption of these healthy foods and improved diet quality.
Conclusions:
- Psychosocial and environmental factors significantly influence diet quality among rural adults.
- Interventions aimed at improving diet quality in rural settings should consider addressing motivation, confidence, social support, and food environment accessibility.
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