Intentions and Trait Self-control Predict Fruit and Vegetable Consumption During the Transition to First-Year University

OBJECTIVE: To examine the independent and combined effects of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) variables and trait self-control (TSC) in the prediction of fruit and vegetable consumption (FVC) among first-year university students. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-six first-year undergraduate university students. METHODS: In their first week of class (September 2011), participants completed baseline measures of TSC, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions about their FVC. One week later, students completed a 7-day food recall, from which daily FVC was calculated. RESULTS: Baseline attitudes and perceived behavioral control predicted intentions (adjR(2) = .58). Intentions and TSC predicted FVC (adjR(2) = .24). CONCLUSIONS: The TPB may be a useful framework on which to base a FVC intervention for first-year undergraduate students; however, focusing solely on increasing positive intentions to consume FVC will not necessarily translate into FVC behavior, as other personal- and environmental-level variables may play a role.