This study examined the relationship between Health Belief Model constructs as they related to dietary behaviors in a sample of university women 18-to-25 years of age (n=182). A cross-sectional, non-experimental design was utilized. Independent sample t-tests compared the mean of body mass indices (BMI) to dietary risk and race. Odds ratios amassed relationships between race and healthy food choices. Nearly one-third (32.4%) of participants were either overweight or obese. Black females had significantly higher BMI than white females; however, dietary risk from less-than-adequate fruit and vegetable consumption and consumption of high-fat foods were not related to race. Focus group participants (n=0) were not concerned about their risks of obesity and its sequelae, or appeared only somewhat concerned. However, all felt obesity-related illnesses were severe. None perceived a direct threat, although several admitted friends and fmaily members might be at-risk, ultimately resulting in a behavior change.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study examined the relationship between Health Belief Model constructs as they related to dietary behaviors in a sample of university women 18-to-25 years of age (n=182). A cross-sectional, non-experimental design was utilized. Independent sample t-tests compared the mean of body mass indices (BMI) to dietary risk and race. Odds ratios amassed relationships between race and healthy food choices. Nearly one-third (32.4%) of participants were either overweight or obese. Black females had significantly higher BMI than white females; however, dietary risk from less-than-adequate fruit and vegetable consumption and consumption of high-fat foods were not related to race. Focus group participants (n=0) were not concerned about their risks of obesity and its sequelae, or appeared only somewhat concerned. However, all felt obesity-related illnesses were severe. None perceived a direct threat, although several admitted friends and fmaily members might be at-risk, ultimately resulting in a behavior change.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Anderson, Vanessa Emily"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)","degree_level":"Thesis (open access)","degree_discipline":"Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Joanne Chopak-Foss","Laura Gunn","Padmini Shankar"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2006,"date_issued":"2006-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2006-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:19Z","subjects":["ETD","Health belief model","Dietary risk behaviors","Race","Body mass index","Body","Human","Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/629","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Joanne Chopak-Foss","Laura Gunn","Padmini Shankar"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Anderson, Vanessa Emily"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-10-17T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis (open access)"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ETD","Health belief model","Dietary risk behaviors","Race","Body mass index","Body","Human","Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/629"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study examined the relationship between Health Belief Model constructs as they related to dietary behaviors in a sample of university women 18-to-25 years of age (n=182). A cross-sectional, non-experimental design was utilized. Independent sample t-tests compared the mean of body mass indices (BMI) to dietary risk and race. Odds ratios amassed relationships between race and healthy food choices. Nearly one-third (32.4%) of participants were either overweight or obese. Black females had significantly higher BMI than white females; however, dietary risk from less-than-adequate fruit and vegetable consumption and consumption of high-fat foods were not related to race. Focus group participants (n=0) were not concerned about their risks of obesity and its sequelae, or appeared only somewhat concerned. However, all felt obesity-related illnesses were severe. None perceived a direct threat, although several admitted friends and fmaily members might be at-risk, ultimately resulting in a behavior change.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Utility of Health Belief Model Constructs in Predicting Dietary Behaviors Among Female University Students: A Pilot Investigation"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Joanne Chopak-Foss","Laura Gunn","Padmini Shankar"],"dc:creator":["Anderson, Vanessa Emily"],"dc:date.available":["2013-10-17T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study examined the relationship between Health Belief Model constructs as they related to dietary behaviors in a sample of university women 18-to-25 years of age (n=182). A cross-sectional, non-experimental design was utilized. Independent sample t-tests compared the mean of body mass indices (BMI) to dietary risk and race. Odds ratios amassed relationships between race and healthy food choices. Nearly one-third (32.4%) of participants were either overweight or obese. Black females had significantly higher BMI than white females; however, dietary risk from less-than-adequate fruit and vegetable consumption and consumption of high-fat foods were not related to race. Focus group participants (n=0) were not concerned about their risks of obesity and its sequelae, or appeared only somewhat concerned. However, all felt obesity-related illnesses were severe. None perceived a direct threat, although several admitted friends and fmaily members might be at-risk, ultimately resulting in a behavior change.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/629"],"dc:subject":["ETD","Health belief model","Dietary risk behaviors","Race","Body mass index","Body","Human","Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition"],"dc:title":["Utility of Health Belief Model Constructs in Predicting Dietary Behaviors Among Female University Students: A Pilot Investigation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis (open access)"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:27:19Z"}