Specific health beliefs mediate sex differences in food choice

Abstract

ObjectiveAlthough sex differences in dietary habits are well documented, the etiology of those differences is still a focus of research. The present study examines the role of specific health beliefs regarding healthy amounts of food for food choice and its relation to sex, more specifically, the assumption that sex differences in food choices are mediated by differentiating health beliefs.Method212 German participants (44.3% female) aged 18–70 answered an online self-report questionnaire on their dietary habits and health beliefs, based on the recommendations of the German Nutrition Society.ResultsMost of the anticipated sex differences in food choice and some differences in health beliefs were found. The mediation hypothesis was partly supported, as the relationship between sex and fruit, vegetable, and fish consumption was mediated by the respective health beliefs. However, no mediation effects were found for meat, egg, cereal, and milk product consumption.ConclusionThe support for the mediation hypothesis aligns with previous findings and indicates that health beliefs might be an important pathway to fostering healthier food choices, especially for men. Nonetheless, sex differences in food choice were only partially mediated by sex differences in specific health beliefs, indicating that future studies might benefit from parallel mediation analyses to reveal the impact of other relevant factors influencing sex differences in food choice.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Sports Food Consumption Patterns, Experiences, and Perceptions amongst Non-Athletes in Australia

“…The study focused on the perceptions of the level of processing of sports foods rather than the foods themselves and perceptions and reasons for consumption [ 29 ], which differed to this present study. It is unclear exactly why there has been a shift in sports food consumers; however, it could be related to the intersection between gender differences in health beliefs, where females rate ‘health’ as a more important factor when making sports food choices [ 30 ]. Furthermore, it could be driven by an increased perception that supplementation is needed to ensure adequate nutrient levels, likely driven by the aggressive marketing of sports foods to non-athletes via social media channels [ 31 ] promoting the use of these products to this population.…”

Boys and girls differ in their rationale behind eating: a systematic review of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in dietary habits across countries

“…This suggests that the motivation underlying how boys and girls eat differs and is largely consistent regardless of country. Health promotion endeavors targeting diet should thus incorporate gender-unique motivators behind eating to support their likelihood of success (6,7,19). Future studies are also needed to fully untangle how both gender and sex impact adolescents' dietary habits (10, 23).…”

“…Though the trends in body shape found in this review are not original (27,29,92,93), our study contributes to understanding the larger picture of adolescents' motivation behind eating based on gender. Specifically, we call on researchers who create dietary interventions targeting adolescents to consider focusing on using language and content that speaks to gender-diverse motivators, including body shape, fitting in, and pursuing autonomy (e.g., focus on autonomy and personal control among boys vs. highlighting social relationships and pressures among girls) (6,7,10,23,88). We also call on research to clarify the role of athletic performance in adolescents' dietary choices, as this review only identified this influence among boys.…”

“…This creates a situation where social norms and "fitting in" by eating a certain way may be at their peak. Finally, research has begun to explore the underlying factors that influence men's and women's dietary habits, but so far no research has consolidated these gender differences in adolescents (6,34). At present, there is a gap in understanding how dietary habits can be optimally supported at a critical life stage (i.e., adolescence), where they can have lifelong impacts.…”

“…As unfavorable shifts in adolescents' dietary habits can predispose different groups to different negative health trajectories, identifying these motivators could have large impacts on health promotion (23). This is especially needed as no research has explored gender trends in adolescents' motivation behind eating (6,34). Therefore, to help fill the gap in understanding how dietary habits can be optimally supported during adolescence, this study systematically reviewed differences in boys' and girls' perspectives on what motivates their dietary habits from diverse countries.…”