Self-efficacy and cooking confidence are associated with fruit and vegetable intake in a cross-sectional study with rural women.
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BACKGROUND: In comparison to their urban and suburban counterparts, midlife and older rural women are less likely to consume adequate fruit and vegetables (F&V). The present study aimed to examine the relationships between psychological, social, and environmental factors and F&V intake among midlife and older rural women in the United States. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized data from 513 midlife and older rural women (mean age=67.0, mean BMI=26.8) living in 22 states. Linear regression models were used to examine the associations between women's daily F&V intake and cooking confidence, healthy eating self-efficacy, perceived stress, healthy eating social support, and perceived food environment. RESULTS: Cooking confidence (p<0.001) and healthy eating self-efficacy (p<0.001) were positively associated with F&V intake. Perceived stress, healthy eating social support, and perceived food environment were not associated with F&V intake (p>0.05). When all the independent variables were analyzed simultaneously, only healthy eating self-efficacy remained positively associated with F&V intake (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from our study provide important information on the influences of rural women's healthy eating self-efficacy and cooking confidence on their F&V intake. Our results may be useful to inform and evaluate targeted strategies to improve the dietary health of rural women.
