Stress and the Theory of Planned Behavior: Understanding Healthy and Unhealthy Eating Intentions

Unhealthy and healthy eating intentions are predicted in a sample of 154 university students by the theory of planned behavior variables, in interaction with life stress. Specifically, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC) are shown to interact with life stress in relation to intentions to eat unhealthy foods, such that at high stress, the effects of subjective norms and PBC are attenuated. Implications are discussed for studies involving the planned behavior model and the study of life stress and unhealthy eating, for the theory of planned behavior more broadly, as well as for interventions targeting university students' eating intentions.