Comparative study of the effect of education on the basis of the transtheoretical model and the theory of planned behavior on milk and dairy consumption in students

Milk and dairy products are very useful as a food. So that their use has a significant effect on health. It seems that the transtheoretical model and theory of planned behavior are effective as a conceptual framework for understanding the process of health behavior in promoting healthy eating habits in students. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of the transtheoretical model and the theory of planned behavior on promoting healthy eating habits in students with an emphasis on milk and dairy consumption.

In this quasi experimental study, 300 students of Islamic Azad University of Shirvan Branch were selected by convenience sampling and divided into two groups (the trans theoretical model group and the theory of planned behavior group) based on the lottery. In each group, five sessions of education were conducted using lecture, question and answer and group discussion, and according to the stages of these theories. The research instrument was a demographic and amount of milk and dairy intakes (by 24-hour and previous 7 days recall) questionnaire.

The results showed that milk and dairy consumption significantly increased in both groups after intervention (p <0.05). Also, milk and dairy consumption in intervention group based on transtheoretical model was significantly higher than milk and dairy consumption in the intervention group based on the theory of planned behavior (p <0.05).

Applying the transtheoretical model and the theory of planned behavior and training on the basis of them is a suitable method for designing interventions to increase milk and dairy consumption among students. Also the effect of the application of transtheoretical model is more than the theory of planned behavior.