Determinants of healthy eating: a cross-national study on motives and barriers

Michaelidou, N., Christodoulides, G. and Torova, K. (2012) Determinants of healthy eating: a cross-national study on motives and barriers. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 36 (1). pp. 17-22. ISSN 1470-6431 doi: 10.1111/j.1470-6431.2011.01031.x

Abstract/Summary

The paper investigates the impact of motives and barriers to healthy eating on individuals' healthy eating intention and behaviour using a cross-national design. Data were collected from the UK and the Czech Republic via a self-completion questionnaire. Findings highlight the significance of intrinsic motives and psychological barriers in predicting both intention and healthy eating behaviour for both UK and Czech consumers, albeit their weight as well as the variance captured by these factors differs across the two national cultures. Findings also indicate that physical barriers are in fact unimportant when it comes to adopting a healthy eating diet. These findings are discussed in the light of previous research, while their implications for policy makers and researchers are highlighted.