Unpacking healthy eating: An application of the model of goal-directed behavior

Abstract

This research investigates the psychological and social drivers of healthy eating intentions and behavior using the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (MGB), an extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The MGB integrates affective (anticipated emotions), habitual (past behavior), and motivational (desire) factors, offering greater predictive power compared to the TPB. This research also examines the influence of cooking for self-consumption on perceived behavioral control over healthy eating. Data were collected from 369 adults via an online survey, with 141 participants completing a follow-up survey one month later to report actual eating behavior. Results indicate that anticipated emotions and subjective norms are key predictors of healthy eating desire, while attitudes show no significant effect. Desire predicts intentions, which, in turn, drive behavior. Notably, the self-efficacy component of perceived behavioral control moderates the desire-intention relationship, challenging traditional MGB assumptions. Additionally, cooking for self-consumption enhances both internal and external factors that shape perceived behavioral control. This research contributes to the prevailing debate on the role of affect versus attitudes in shaping food consumption behaviors, highlighting the dominant role of anticipated emotions over attitudes in driving healthy eating intentions, even when accounting for past behavior and subjective norms. The research also refines and extends the MGB by incorporating food preparation as an antecedent of perceived behavioral control, suggesting a novel mechanism for fostering control over healthy eating. The findings offer practical insights for designing interventions and programs that leverage emotions, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control to promote healthier eating behavior.