Prediction of Food Safety Behaviors Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior in Iranian Women

Background: Proper food management during food preparation and maintenance is essential to reducing foodborne diseases. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is commonly used for the examination of health behaviors. No research has assessed the effectiveness of TPB in predicting food safety behaviors in Iran. The present study aimed to examine food safety behaviors based on the TPB. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 220 women in Yazd, Iran in 2018. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of items on food safety behaviors and TPB constructs with confirmed reliability and validity. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 21.0. Results: A significant, positive correlation was observed between food safety behaviors and all the TPB constructs (r = 0.15- 0.38; P 0.05). In addition, intention was significantly correlated with food safety behaviors (r = 0.35; P 0.001), and 27% of the behavior variance was explained by the TPB constructs. Perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictor (β = 0.3; P 0.001), and 31% of the intention variance was explained by the TPB constructs. Subjective norm was considered the strongest predictor (β = 0.41; P 0.001). Conclusion: The TPB could be used as a framework for the educational interventions aimed at health observance in food preparation.