Lei Zheng1,2,3,4, Aleksandra Luszczynska5,6, Miao Miao7, Yidi Chen1, Yiqun Gan8. 1. School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China. 2. School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fujian, China. 3. Center for China Social Trust Research, Fuzhou University, Fujian, China. 4. Institute of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Fuzhou University, Fujian, China. 5. Wroclaw Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wroclaw, Poland. 6. University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO, USA. 7. Department of Medical Psychology, School of Health Humanities, Peking University, Beijing, China. 8. School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences and Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China. ygan@pku.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Environmental worry, a response to environmental pollution, is a well-established predictor of pro-environmental behaviors. However, its relationship with health-promoting behaviors, such as fruit and vegetable intake (FVI), is unclear. In three studies, we explored the associations between environmental worry, behavioral intention, and FVI. METHOD: Study 1, enrolling 358 company trainees who provided their data at Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2; a 2-month follow-up), examined the relationship between environmental worry and FVI. Study 2, enrolling 226 employees providing their data at T1 and T2 (a 2-month follow-up), examined the mediating effects of intention in the relationship between environmental worry and FVI using a cross-lagged design. In study 3, data from 217 participants were collected three times over a period of 4 months. We re-examined the mediating effect of intention and further explored the moderating effect of future focus. RESULTS: Environmental worry predicted beneficial changes in FVI (studies 1, 2, and 3). Environmental worry predicted FVI through intention (studies 2 and 3). The mediating effect of intention on the relationship between environmental worry and FVI was moderated by future focus: individuals with high environmental worry formed stronger intention when they also reported a strong future focus (study 3). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide novel evidence for the direct and indirect links between environmental worry and health-promoting behavior (i.e., FVI).
BACKGROUND: Environmental worry, a response to environmental pollution, is a well-established predictor of pro-environmental behaviors. However, its relationship with health-promoting behaviors, such as fruit and vegetable intake (FVI), is unclear. In three studies, we explored the associations between environmental worry, behavioral intention, and FVI. METHOD: Study 1, enrolling 358 company trainees who provided their data at Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2; a 2-month follow-up), examined the relationship between environmental worry and FVI. Study 2, enrolling 226 employees providing their data at T1 and T2 (a 2-month follow-up), examined the mediating effects of intention in the relationship between environmental worry and FVI using a cross-lagged design. In study 3, data from 217 participants were collected three times over a period of 4 months. We re-examined the mediating effect of intention and further explored the moderating effect of future focus. RESULTS: Environmental worry predicted beneficial changes in FVI (studies 1, 2, and 3). Environmental worry predicted FVI through intention (studies 2 and 3). The mediating effect of intention on the relationship between environmental worry and FVI was moderated by future focus: individuals with high environmental worry formed stronger intention when they also reported a strong future focus (study 3). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide novel evidence for the direct and indirect links between environmental worry and health-promoting behavior (i.e., FVI).
Authors: Tobias Rethage; Dieter Eis; Uwe Gieler; Dennis Nowak; Gerhard Andreas Wiesmüller; Michael Lacour; Volker Hodapp; Nikolaos Stilianakis; Thomas F Eikmann; Caroline E W Herr Journal: Int J Hyg Environ Health Date: 2007-02-12 Impact factor: 5.840
Authors: Song Zhou; Linqian Li; Yan Zhao; Yiheng Cao; Baozhong Peng; Lei Zheng Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-11-19 Impact factor: 3.390