Applying the information-motivation-behavioral skills model to explain adolescents’ fruits and vegetables consumption

Inadequate fruits and vegetables consumption in adolescence increases adolescents' current and future chronic disease risk and is predictive of inadequate consumption in adulthood. Given that adolescents' engagement in dietary behaviors is complicated by intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental factors, a health behavior model of change incorporating all of these factors is most appropriate to inform research and intervention efforts. Yet, common preventive health behavior models used to explain adolescents' dietary behaviors do not adequately account for these factors. The current study explored the utility of a comprehensive, predictive model, that is the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model, for explaining adolescents' fruits and vegetables consumption in a cross-sectional national sample. Study hypotheses included (1) health information and motivation for fruits and vegetables would directly be related to fruits and vegetables consumption; and (2) the relationship between fruits and vegetables consumption and health information and motivation would be mediated by behavioral skills for consumption. Data from the adolescent diet-related surveys of the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) study (N = 1646) were used. Structural equation modeling was used to test study hypotheses. Fruits and vegetables-related information and motivation were positively related to adolescents' fruits and vegetables consumption. For information and personal motivation (specifically fruits and vegetables preferences), the relationship with fruits and vegetables consumption was partially mediated through behavioral skills. These preliminary findings support the utility of the IMB model to explain adolescents' fruits and vegetables consumption.