Skip to main content
Log in

Social-cognitive predictors of dietary behaviors in South Korean men and women

  • Published:
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background: Eating a diet that is high in vitamins and low in fat is considered to be governed by social-cognitive factors, such as intentions, planning, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancies. Purpose: A longitudinal field study was designed to examine the interrelationships of these factors with dietary behaviors. Method: In 697 South Korean men and women, objective health-risk status was assessed at Time 1 (cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass index) in conjunction with self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and intentions. At Time 2, six months later, coping self-efficacy, planning, and dietary behaviors were measured. A two-group structural equation model for men and women was specified to determine the relations of distal and proximal predictors of a healthy diet. Results: Self-efficacy was of equal predictive power in men and women, whereas intentions and planning were relevant only in women. Objective risk status was associated with intentions in women but not in men. Conclusions: Results confirm the predictive power of the Health Action Process Approach and point to the role of gender in the self-regulation of dietary behaviors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abraham, C., & Sheeran, P. (2000). Understanding and changing health behavior: From health beliefs to self-regulation. In P. Norman, C. Abraham, & M. Conner (Eds.),Understanding and changing health behavior (pp. 3–24). Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arbuckle, J. L. (2003).Amos 5.0 user guide. Chicago: Small Waters.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armitage, C. J. (2004). Evidence that implementation intentions reduce dietary fat intake: A randomized trial.Health Psychology, 23, 319–323.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Armitage, C. J., & Conner, M. (2001). Efficacy of the theory of planned behaviour: A meta-analytic review.British Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 471–499.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baker, A., & Wardle, J. (2003). Sex differences in fruit and vegetable intake in older adults.Appetite, 40, 269–275.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1997).Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Behling, O., & Law, K. S. (2000).Translating questionnaires and other research instruments: Problems and solutions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, B. M. (2001).Structural equation modeling with AMOS. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, L. A., & Watson, D. (1995). Constructing validity: Basic issues in objective scale development.Psychological Assessment, 7, 309–319.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croyle, R. T., Sun, Y. C., & Hart, M. (1997). Processing risk factor information: Defensive biases in health-related judgments and memory. In K. L. Petrie & J. A. Weinman (Eds.),Perceptions of health and illness (pp. 267–290). Amsterdam: Harwood.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fagerli, R. A., & Wandel, M. (1999). Gender differences in opinions and practices with regard to a “health diet.”Appetite, 31, 171- 190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975).Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans.American Psychologist, 54, 493–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gollwitzer, P. M., & Brandstatter, V. (1997). Implementation intentions and effective goal pursuit.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 73, 186–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glanz, K., & Gilboy, M. B. (1995). Psychosocial impact of cholesterol screening and management. In R. T. Croyle (Ed.),Psychosocial effects of screening for disease prevention and detection (pp. 39–64). London: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grogan, S., Bell, R., & Conner, M. (1997). Eating sweet snacks: Gender differences in attitude and behaviour.Appetite, 28, 19–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, F. B., & Willett, W. C. (2002). Optimal diets for prevention of coronary heart disease.Journal of the American Medical Association, 288, 2569–2578.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, C., Lawton, R., Knapp, P., Raynor, D. K., Conner, M., Lowe, C., & Closs, S. J. (2005). Beyond intention: Do specific plans increase health behaviours in patients in primary care? A study of fruit and vegetable consumption.Social Science and Medicine, 60, 2383–2391.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, S., Moon, S., & Popkin, B. M. (2000). The nutrition transition in South Korea.American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71, 44–53.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, M.-J., Popkin, B. M., & Kim, S. (2002). The unique aspects of the nutrition transition in South Korea: The retention of healthful elements in their traditional diet.Public Health Nutrition, 5, 197–203.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S.-K., & Sobal, J. (2003). Socio-economic, dietary, activity, nutrition and body weight transitions in South Korea.Public Health Nutrition, 6, 665–674.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leventhal, H., Singer, R., & Jones, S. (1965). Effects of fear and specificity of recommendation upon attitudes and behaviorJournal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2, 20–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lippke, S., Ziegelmann, J. P., & Schwarzer, R. (2004). Behavioral intentions and action plans promote physical exercise: A longitudinal study with orthopedic rehabilitation patients.Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 26, 470–483.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luszczynska, A. (2006). Effects of an implementation intention intervention on physical activity after MI are mediated by cognitive processes, change in forming action plans.Social Science and Medicine, 62, 900–908.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luszczynska, A., & Schwarzer, R. (2003). Planning and self-efficacy in the adoption and maintenance of breast self-examination: A longitudinal study on self-regulatory cognitions.Psychology and Health, 18, 93–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marlatt, G. A., Baer, J. S., & Quigley, L. A. (1995). Self-efficacy and addictive behavior. In A. Bandura (Ed.),Self-efficacy in changing societies (pp. 289–315). New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phan, T., & Tylka, T. L. (2006). Exploring a model and moderators of disordered eating with Asian American college women.Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53, 36–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prochaska, J. O., Velicer, W F., Rossi, J. S., Goldstein, M. G., Marcus, B. H., Rakowski, W., Fiore, C., Harlow, L. L., Redding, C. A., Rosenbloom, D., & Rossi, S. R. (1994). Stages of change and decisional balance for 12 problem behaviors.Health Psychology, 13, 39–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Renner, B. (2004). Biased reasoning: Adaptive responses to health risk feedback.Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 384–396.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Renner, B., & Schwarzer, R. (2003). Social-cognitive factors in health behavior change. In J. Suls & K. Wallston (Eds.),Social psychological foundations of health and illness (pp. 169–196). Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Renner, B., & Schwarzer, R. (2005). The motivation to eat a healthy diet: How intenders and nonintenders differ in terms of risk perception, outcome expectancies, self-efficacy, and nutrition behavior.Polish Psychological Bulletin, 36, 7–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Resnicow, K., Davis-Hearn, M., Smith, M., Baranowski, T., Lin, L. S., Baranowski, J., Doyle, C., & Wang, D. T. (1997). Socialcognitive predictors of fruit and vegetable intake in children.Health Psychology, 16, 272–276.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, N. J., Shepherd, R., & Elliman, N. A. (1993). Current attitudes and future influences on meat consumption in the United Kingdom.Appetite, 21, 41–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Riebe, D., Greene, G. W., Ruggiero, L., Stilwell, K. M., Blissmer, B., Nigg, C. R., & Caldwell, M. (2003). Evaluation of a healthy- lifestyle approach to weight management.Preventive Medicine, 36, 45–54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rolls, B. J., Fedoroff, I. C., & Guthrie, J. F. (1991). Gender differences in eating behavior and body weight regulation.Health Psychology, 10, 133–142.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sakamaki, R., Amamoto, R., Mochida, Y., Shinfuku, N., & Toyama, K. (2005). A comparative study of food habits and body shape perceptions of university students in Japan and Korea.Nutrition Journal, 4, 31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schafer, J. L., & Graham, J. W. (2002). Missing data: Our view of the state of the art.Psychological Methods, 7, 147–177.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Scholz, U., Sniehotta, F. F., & Schwarzer, R. (2005). Predicting physical exercise in cardiac rehabilitation: The role of phase-specific self-efficacy beliefs.Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 27, 135–151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzer, R. (1992). Self-efficacy in the adoption and maintenance of health behaviors: Theoretical approaches and a new model. In R. Schwarzer (Ed.),Self-efficacy: Thought control of action (pp. 217–243). Washington, DC: Hemisphere.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzer, R., & Renner, B. (2000). Social-cognitive predictors of health behavior: Action self-efficacy and coping self-efficacy,Health Psychology, 19, 487–495.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sheeran, P. (2002). Intention-behavior relations: A conceptual and empirical review.European Review of Social Psychology, 12, 1–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sniehotta, F. F., Scholz, U., & Schwarzer, R. (2005). Bridging the intention-behaviour gap: Planning, self-efficacy, and action control in the adoption and maintenance of physical exercise.Psychology & Health, 20, 143–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sniehotta, F. F., Schwarzer, R., Scholz, U., & Schuz, B. (2005). Action planning and coping planning for long-term lifestyle change: Theory and assessment.European Journal of Social Psychology, 35, 565–576.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sobal, J., & Maurer, D. (1999).Weighty issues. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verplanken, B., & Faes, S. (1999). Good intentions, bad habits, and effects of forming implementation intentions on healthy eating.European Journal of Social Psychology, 29, 591–604.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webb, T. L., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Does changing behavioral intentions engender behavior change? A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence.Psychological Bulletin, 132, 249–268.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • WHO. (2003). Diet, nutrition, and the prevention of chronic diseases.World Health Organization Technical Reports Series 916. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood Baker, C., Little, T. D., & Brownell, K. D. (2003). Predicting adolescent eating and activity behaviors: The role of social norms and personal agency.Health Psychology, 22, 189–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziegelmann, J. P., Lippke, S., & Schwarzer, R. (2006). Adoption and maintenance of physical activity: Planning interventions in young, middle-aged, and older adults.Psychology & Health, 21, 145–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Britta Renner.

Additional information

This research was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsge-meinschaft (Grant RE 1583/2-1 and SCHW 208/11-01-03).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Renner, B., Kwon, S., Yang, BH. et al. Social-cognitive predictors of dietary behaviors in South Korean men and women. Int. J. Behav. Med. 15, 4–13 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03003068

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03003068

Key words

Navigation