Predictors of Intentions to Make Healthier Eating Choices among Midwestern Truck Drivers

DOI

10.2991/jegh.k.191029.001How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Theory of planned behavior; truck drivers; eating decisions; health behaviors

Abstract

Truck drivers constitute a highly vulnerable population with very limited opportunities for healthy foods and healthy eating choices. This cross-sectional study assessed the utility of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in understanding and predicting healthy eating intention among Midwestern truck drivers in the United States. Participants were recruited through online trucker forums and advertisements at truck stops. Each participant completed an anonymous, web-based questionnaire that measured attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. One hundred and forty-six truck drivers responded, with the average Body Mass Index (BMI) 32.7 and working as a truck driver for 10.3 years. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis assessed the predictive value of individual TPB constructs and the model. The predictive model containing the TPB constructs explained 18% of the variance in healthy eating intention, with attitude and subjective norm making significant and unique contributions. With the variance explained, the findings minimally supported the utility of TPB in understanding and predicting healthy eating intention among the truck drivers. These findings should be interpreted in view of the study limitations; the small sample size and being a self-report study. Notwithstanding, the findings highlight the importance of attitude and subjective norms in understanding and predicting healthy eating intention among Midwestern truck drivers in the United States.

Copyright

© 2019 Atlantis Press International B.V.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - JOUR
AU  - Wan-Ju Jennifer Yen
AU  - Olabode Ayodele
AU  - Adrienne McCarthy
PY  - 2019
DA  - 2019/11/08
TI  - Predictors of Intentions to Make Healthier Eating Choices among Midwestern Truck Drivers
JO  - Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health
SP  - 309
EP  - 314
VL  - 9
IS  - 4
SN  - 2210-6014
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/jegh.k.191029.001
DO  - 10.2991/jegh.k.191029.001
ID  - Yen2019
ER  -