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Association between food availability and young people’s fruits and vegetables consumption: understanding the mediation role of the theory of planned behaviour

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the relationship between fruits and vegetables (F&V) availability at home and young people’s F&V consumption behaviour, and how the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) constructs could potentially mediate the relationship. Design: Cross-sectional face-to-face survey questionnaire to assess the TPB constructs and home food availability assessed using open inventories method. F&V availability was categorised into low and high levels based on median split. Setting: Singapore. Participants: Two hundred and ten households (each consisting one parent–child pair) recruited via stratified cluster sampling with child participants ranging from 9 to 16 years of age. Results: Mediation analyses were conducted using structural equation modelling. The relationship between home F&V availability and F&V consumption behaviour did not have a significant direct association, but there were significant indirect effects through the routes of perceived behavioural control (PBC) and intention as well as attitude and intention. Specifically, higher level of F&V availability at home was related to more positive PBC and attitude towards F&V, and subsequently greater intention to consume F&V and higher consumption of F&V. Conclusions: Parents should make F&V more readily available at home as increased exposure to F&V could be related to enhanced liking, sense of control and intention to consume F&V and facilitate children’s healthy diet.