Personality and fruit and vegetable consumption in young men: mixed methods assessment

This 2013 study tested whether the personality of 8 young men (aged 18-24) was related with their fruit and vegetable consumption. Four of the participants consumed 2 portions of fruits and vegetables or less every day (low group), while the other four ate over 4 servings daily (high group). Of the five personality dimensions (extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability), high TIPI scores in conscientiousness and emotional stability were related with high fruit and vegetable consumption, while low scores equated to low intakes. The thematic analysis of the interviews supported this trend, except one case in which a low consumer was interviewed and the findings did not align with his TIPI scores. This discrepancy could be explained by a variety of factors including the social context of the target behavior and potential incongruities in survey data. These findings may suggest that behavioral interventions may be more effective employing cognitive behavioral therapy rather than dietary interventions, although larger surveys using validated personality assessments and quantitative interviews are needed to provide substantially convincing evidence.[NPID: personality, fruit, vegetable, FV intake, extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, emotional stability]

Year: 2013

Reference: Wilsher, S (2013). Personality and fruit and vegetable consumption in young men: qualitative and quantitative assessment. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 72.