Specific psychological variables predict quality of diet in women of lower, but not higher, educational attainment
Specific psychological variables predict quality of diet in women of lower, but not higher, educational attainment
Our previous work found that perceived control over life was a significant predictor of the quality of diet of women of lower educational attainment. In this paper, we explore the influence on quality of diet of a range of psychological and social factors identified during focus group discussions, and specify the way this differs in women of lower and higher educational attainment. We assessed educational attainment, quality of diet, and psycho-social factors in 378 women attending Sure Start Children's Centres and baby clinics in Southampton, UK. Multiple-group path analysis showed that in women of lower educational attainment, the effect of general self-efficacy on quality of diet was mediated through perceptions of control and through food involvement, but that there were also direct effects of social support for healthy eating and having positive outcome expectancies. There was no effect of self-efficacy, perceived control or outcome expectancies on the quality of diet of women of higher educational attainment, though having more social support and food involvement were associated with improved quality of diet in these women. Our analysis confirms our hypothesis that control-related factors are more important in determining dietary quality in women of lower educational attainment than in women of higher educational attainment.
educational attainment, diet, disadvantage, self-efficacy, perceived control
46-52
Lawrence, Wendy
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Schlotz, Wolff
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Crozier, Sarah
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Skinner, Timothy C.
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Haslam, Cheryl
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Robinson, Sian
ba591c98-4380-456a-be8a-c452f992b69b
Inskip, Hazel
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Cooper, Cyrus
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Barker, Mary
374310ad-d308-44af-b6da-515bf5d2d6d2
February 2011
Lawrence, Wendy
e9babc0a-02c9-41df-a289-7b18f17bf7d8
Schlotz, Wolff
49499d5e-4ff4-4ad3-b5f7-eec11b25b5db
Crozier, Sarah
a9c88016-8f46-4659-954e-4d7af8a49594
Skinner, Timothy C.
86d9ad2a-4c77-41f9-918e-214d420f1afe
Haslam, Cheryl
a34bd737-6490-43b6-a0a6-2ab965033ad5
Robinson, Sian
ba591c98-4380-456a-be8a-c452f992b69b
Inskip, Hazel
5fb4470a-9379-49b2-a533-9da8e61058b7
Cooper, Cyrus
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Barker, Mary
374310ad-d308-44af-b6da-515bf5d2d6d2
Lawrence, Wendy, Schlotz, Wolff, Crozier, Sarah, Skinner, Timothy C., Haslam, Cheryl, Robinson, Sian, Inskip, Hazel, Cooper, Cyrus and Barker, Mary
(2011)
Specific psychological variables predict quality of diet in women of lower, but not higher, educational attainment.
Appetite, 56 (1), .
(doi:10.1016/j.appet.2010.11.003).
(PMID:21078352)
Abstract
Our previous work found that perceived control over life was a significant predictor of the quality of diet of women of lower educational attainment. In this paper, we explore the influence on quality of diet of a range of psychological and social factors identified during focus group discussions, and specify the way this differs in women of lower and higher educational attainment. We assessed educational attainment, quality of diet, and psycho-social factors in 378 women attending Sure Start Children's Centres and baby clinics in Southampton, UK. Multiple-group path analysis showed that in women of lower educational attainment, the effect of general self-efficacy on quality of diet was mediated through perceptions of control and through food involvement, but that there were also direct effects of social support for healthy eating and having positive outcome expectancies. There was no effect of self-efficacy, perceived control or outcome expectancies on the quality of diet of women of higher educational attainment, though having more social support and food involvement were associated with improved quality of diet in these women. Our analysis confirms our hypothesis that control-related factors are more important in determining dietary quality in women of lower educational attainment than in women of higher educational attainment.
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Published date: February 2011
Keywords:
educational attainment, diet, disadvantage, self-efficacy, perceived control
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Local EPrints ID: 172875
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/172875
ISSN: 0195-6663
PURE UUID: 47fa7c63-d8af-4ee1-bce3-bc16ca672777
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Date deposited: 31 Jan 2011 14:30
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 02:54
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Author:
Wolff Schlotz
Author:
Sarah Crozier
Author:
Timothy C. Skinner
Author:
Cheryl Haslam
Author:
Sian Robinson
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