Choice of Healthy Methods for Cooking by Rural Females of Chabahar, Iran: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Background: Poor dietary behaviors contribute to morbidity and mortality. A sizeable percentage of chronic diseases is related to unhealthy eating habits. Family is a prominent element of the social environment where dietary behaviors are enacted and learned and mothers play a crucial role in children’s nutrition. Regarding this important role, identifying the factors affecting the choice of healthy cooking methods by females can be helpful in future planning to increase the choice of healthy cooking methods. Methods: The current cross sectional study investigated 230 native females of Chabahar, Iran, within the age range of 12 to 75 years. Participants were selected via multistage sampling by native assistants. Data were gathered with a valid and reliable researcher-made questionnaire consisting of knowledge and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and intention) as well as demographic characteristics. The Pearson correlations and stepwise regression were employed to analyze the data with IBM SPSS software version 16. Results: Results of the Pearson correlations showed that subjective norms were correlated with choice of healthy cooking methods. There was also significant association between attitudes, subjective norms, PBC, and intention. Stepwise regression showed that subjective norms significantly predicted behavior and PBC significantly predicted intention. Conclusions: A broad and community based educational program which improves PBC and subjective norms of rural females, is necessary to have rural and Baluch females increase choice of healthy methods for cooking.