Factors Affecting Consumption of Healthy Foods Among Prediabetic Women in Arak City in 2019: The Application of the Planned Behavior Theory

A lack of healthy nutrition first causes prediabetes and then overt diabetes, and every year about 5% to 10% of people with glucose intolerance develop type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to assess the factors affecting the consumption of healthy foods (CHF) based on the food pyramid among prediabetic women based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019 on 99 prediabetic women selected from comprehensive healthcare centers in Arak, Iran. A demographic questionnaire, a TPB-based questionnaire, and a food consumption Questionnaire were used for data collection. Data were analyzed through Spearman’s correlation and linear regression analyses.

This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.ARAKMU.REC.1398.07).

The Mean±SD score of diet behavior was 1.34±0.28 (in the possible range of 0-2). Around 41% of participants consumed sugary foods such as sweets and chocolate at least once a week and 35% at least once a month. Regression analysis shows that by increasing a standard deviation in the behavioral intention score, the behavior score of a healthy diet will increase by 0.22 standard deviation (P<0.05).

To achieve a healthy lifestyle in the individual at risk for a diabetics education program to increase perceived behavior and motivation for decision making for adherence to healthy food can be attention for policymakers in a health system.