Research ArticleSocial Cognitive Determinants of Healthy Eating Behaviors in Late Adolescents: A Gender Perspective
Introduction
There has been wide recognition that healthy eating behaviors have beneficial effects on health. However, most studies found that the majority of populations, especially adolescents, have unhealthy eating practices.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Thailand has experienced the same situation. Rapid socioeconomic changes during the past 3 decades have shifted dietary practices of the Thai population toward increased consumption of meat products, fats, and sugars.6 These practices have resulted in nutritional problems, including a prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents. This health problem negatively affects adolescents' self-esteem and academic achievement7 and increases their risk for diet-related chronic degenerative diseases.5
Growing concern about adolescents' poor eating habits has led to a large number of studies on factors affecting adolescent eating behaviors. However, most studies were based on individual health behavior theories focusing on individual-level factors such as taste preferences, nutrition knowledge, and dietary beliefs.3, 8 The neglect of environmental factors limited the theories' ability to explain or predict actual eating behaviors.9, 10, 11 This has led to a call for an increased focus on the role environmental factors have in shaping dietary behaviors, resulting in a rising interest among scholars in applying interpersonal-level theories to explaining eating practices. The theories' focus on environmental influences made them more effective in predicting behaviors and eliciting long-term behavior change.12 Therefore, Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)13 provided the conceptual framework for this study.
In addition, gender differences in the determinants of eating behaviors were identified in some recent studies.11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 Nevertheless, how the influence of these determinants varies across gender groups remains unclear.18 Research findings in this respect are beneficial to formulating appropriate health promotion policies and developing effective health education interventions for each gender group.
Therefore, the current study attempted to fill the research gaps by examining the social cognitive determinants of healthy eating behaviors among late adolescents in the context of a developing country, with an emphasis on possible gender differences. The researchers hypothesized that there were significant associations between social cognitive determinants and healthy eating behaviors, and that these determinants were different between gender groups.
Section snippets
Study Design and Sample
The study population was undergraduates in 53 public and private universities in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, which enrolled 584,967 students. Based on statistical calculation, the sample included 1,200 undergraduates from 4 public and private universities. Participants were selected through a process of stratified 2-stage sampling. The first stage involved a random sample of 2 universities within each type of higher education institutions. In the second stage, simple random sampling was
Sociodemographic Characteristics
The sample was 71% female. Approximately half of both male and female samples (57% and 53%, respectively) had a body mass index in the normal range, followed by those with risks for being overweight in male participants (15%) and those who were underweight in female participants (31%). Most participants lived with their parents or guardians (65%). Nearly half of participants (44%) were middle class with average monthly household incomes of ≥50,000 THB (equivalent to $1,450 US or more), and the
Discussion
This study examined the social cognitive determinants of healthy eating behaviors among undergraduates and explored gender differences in these determinants. Consistent with previous research on adolescent eating behaviors,1, 2, 3, 4, 5 the low percentage of participants meeting the recommendations set forth in the Thai-FBDGs indicated that Thai adolescents had relatively poor eating habits. The high prevalence of unhealthy eating behaviors among both males and females, particularly inadequate
Implications for Research and Practice
The main findings of this study shed some light on the determinants of healthy eating behaviors among late adolescents and indicate that the SCT provides a useful framework for understanding gender differences in adolescent eating behaviors. Because self-efficacy, intentions, perceived barriers, and situations appear to be significant predictors of healthy eating behaviors in both gender groups, they should be addressed in the design of interventions to promote healthy eating. In addition,
Acknowledgments
This study was funded by the Food and Nutrition Policy for Health Promotion Program, which was under the International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand.
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Conflict of Interest Disclosure: The authors' conflict of interest disclosures can be found online with this article on www.jneb.org.