Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Rob Lawson and

John Williams University of Otago

Background

• “Pulp Fiction” ACNielsen Report for Cancer Society: 2004

• “Backwards” segmentation based on behaviour

Research Data

• National survey – 8291 respondents used for analysis

• self report behaviours• health expectations• motivations• social support • attitudes to fruit and

vegetables cooking and consumption

Fruit and Vegetable consumption

• Path modelling emphasises– Intrinsic motivations -

based on beliefs about health benefits

– Self efficacy – influenced by perceptions about fruit and vegetables

Motivations and Consumption

• Intrinsic – doing things for their own sake – 5 items to measure in survey

• Extrinsic – pressure from others, or as a means to an end – 4 items in survey

Cluster analysis on motivations

• Exploratory work with hierarchical methods

• K-means to classify four groups

Motivational segments

• self-motivated (35.4%)• supported (27.6%)• lukewarm (20.8%)• pressured (16.2%)

Motives (1)

• Self motivated – High on intrinsic

motivation – opposed to extrinsic forces

• Supported– High on intrinsic

motivation but also recognise extrinsic forces

Motives (2)

• Lukewarm– Low on intrinsic

motivation – opposed to extrinsic forces

• Pressured– Lowest on intrinsic

motivations but recognise external pressures to consume fruit and vegetables.

BehavioursSelf motivated

Supported Lukewarm Pressured

Fruit servings per day

2 to 3 2 to 3 2 1 to 2

% not eating 2 servings per day

22.6 23.4 42.3 48.3

Vegetable servings per day

3 to 4 3 2 to 3 2

% not eating 3 servings per day

16.8 17.6 33.0 38.4

Food BehavioursSelf motivated

Supported Lukewarm Pressured

Cook most

More variety in using fruit and vegetables

Most Vegetarians

More variety in using fruit and vegetables

Buy organics

Prefer meat

Fry moreMicrowave more

Prefer meat

More vitamin tablets

Trade physical activity for diet

Food BeliefsSelf motivated

Supported Lukewarm Pressured

Most favourable attitudes to fruit and vegetables

Least favourable attitudes to fruit and vegetables- cost; flexibility; availability; energy; time; taste, substance

Health ValuesSelf motivated

Supported Lukewarm Pressured

Believe in lifestyle / health links

Most concerned re health

Believe in lifestyle / health links

Not concerned- Less attention to guidelines

Most stressed

Health Benefits from fruit and

vegetablesSelf motivated

Supported Lukewarm

Pressured

Believe most in benefits

Believe least in benefits –Looks, weight, energy, control, live longer, constipation

Trust in information sources for health

Self motivated

Supported Lukewarm

Pressured

Most trusting

Least trusting

Trust in Cancer Society, Heart Foundation, Diabetes NZ

Less trust in Cancer Society, Heart Foundation etc

Demographic variations

Self motivated

Supported Lukewarm Pressured

35-65 55 + 20-45 16-40

married widowed singles singles

European Pacific Islanders

Lower incomes >40k Higher incomes <$50k

Females Males

All demographics show weak relationships!

Summary (1)

• Extrinsic motivation still useful – on/off phenomenon

• Two groups with some extrinsic motivation are most extreme on many issues

• Results emphasise lifestyle approaches – ie consistent patterns

Summary (2)

• Variations in motives – requires different interventions– Reinforcement through

education and information for “self motivated” and “supported”

– Behaviour led change for “lukewarm” and “pressured”