Factors influencing baby boomers' intention to choose a dish featuring plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA) at a restaurant: Findings from an online panel study.

The purpose of this study is to examine the psychosocial determinants of baby boomers'-born between 1946 and 1964- intention to choose a menu item featuring plant-based meat alternatives (PBMA) when dining out. The specific objectives are as follows: 1) to identify the baby boomer generation's health-related perceptions about PBMA, and 2) to examine the factors that influence baby boomers' intention to choose a dish featuring PBMA at a restaurant. A total of 174 responses obtained using the Qualtrics panel were analyzed with content analysis and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings identified various underlying perceptions of baby boomers toward PBMA, such as perceived health outcomes, perceived availability, and willingness to purchase. Furthermore, subjective norm, cues to action, and self-identity were found to be significant predictors of the intention to choose a menu item featuring PBMA when dining out. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Understanding Whole Grain Consumption among Low-Income Older Adults Using the Theory of Planned Behavior.

Older adults have low whole grain (WG) intake. This qualitative study used the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to identify low-income older adults' WG beliefs. A convenience sample of 25 low-income adults 60 years and older were interviewed using questions developed based on TPB constructs: behavioral, normative, and control beliefs. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, cross-checked for consistency, and analyzed using content analysis. Study results revealed that regarding behavioral beliefs, health benefits, taste, and nutrition were WG advantages and sensory qualities, higher cost, and longer cooking time were disadvantages. Regarding normative beliefs, healthcare professionals and family members approved WG intake and those less informed about WGs disapproved. Regarding control beliefs, availability/accessibility, knowledge of WG benefits, and WG cooking skills facilitated WG intake and age-related changes, WG cost, decreased motivation to cook, and low knowledge (label reading) were barriers. Results provide insights for developing programs to increase older adults' WG intake.

Habit is the Bridge between Intention and Behavior: A Look at Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Low-Income Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of habit and theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables in predicting low-income older adults' fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A city in the southeast United States. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 372 low-income older adults participated in this study. RESULTS: Participants completed a validated survey measuring TPB variables (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and intention), F&V intake using the Block Dietary Fruit-Vegetable Screener, and self-reported habit index to measure F&V consumption. Perceived behavioral control was the largest factor influencing intention to consume F&V, followed by attitude and subjective norm. In addition, there was a significant interaction between habit strength and intention, such that intention influenced F&V consumption only among individuals with average or higher habit strength. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study suggest health promotion programs aimed at increasing F&V intake among low-income older adults should focus on establishing F&V intake as a habit so that an individual's intentions to consume F&V can be transformed into actual F&V intake. Also, emphasizing how to overcome potential barriers would improve low-income older adults' actual F&V intake by increasing their sense of control over consuming F&V.

A Multi Theory-Based Investigation of College Students' Underlying Beliefs About Local Food Consumption.

OBJECTIVE: To identify college students' perceptions of local food on the basis of a multi-theory model. DESIGN: Semistructured individual interviews were conducted. The Theory of Planned Behavior and Health Belief Model extended with self-congruity were used as a framework. SETTING: A university in the southeast region of the US. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 30 college students, including in-state, out-of-state, and international. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, control beliefs, perceived threats, self-congruity, cues to action, and definitions regarding local food. ANALYSIS: Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A hybrid inductive and deductive content analysis was used to analyze transcriptions. RESULTS: Health benefits, supporting local, less processing, freshness, and trustworthiness were identified as advantages of consuming local food. Perceived disadvantages included limited variety and higher prices. Major themes related to normative beliefs included approval of family members and friends. Perceived barriers included lack of information, lack of availability, and inconvenience. Perceived facilitators included availability and clear advertisement. Poor dietary quality was a major threat. Local food consumers were identified as health conscious. Potentially effective cues to action were also identified. Emotion emerged as a new theme. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The identified themes could be further explored for promotion of local food consumption among this population.

Grocery store tour education programme promotes fruit and vegetable consumption.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of the Produce for Better Health Foundation grocery store tour programme as a nutrition education tool for changing consumers' intention to consume various forms of fruits and vegetables (F&V). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Ten grocery stores in a city in the Southeast USA. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 147 grocery shoppers in Alabama, who participated in a grocery store tour, completed a retrospective pre-/post-survey using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. RESULTS: Results from independent-samples t tests indicated that mean values of attitude, subjective norm and perceived control were significantly increased after store tours (P < 0·01). Participants' intentions to consume various types of F&V (fresh, dried, canned, juice and frozen), especially dried F&V, increased significantly after store tours. Results from structural equation modelling indicated that before store tours attitude (γ = 0·48, P < 0·01) was the most significant predictor of intention to consume F&V, followed by perceived behavioural control (γ = 0·24, P = 0·02) and subjective norm (γ = 0·21, P = 0·03). After store tours, attitude (γ = 0·51, P < 0·01) and perceived behavioural control (γ = 0·44, P < 0·01) were still strong predictors of intention to consume F&V, while subjective norm became an insignificant predictor of intention. CONCLUSIONS: Findings revealed positive changes in study participants' attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control and their intentions to consume various forms of F&V, which suggest potential benefits of providing grocery store tours as a tool to promote consumers' F&V intake.

Identifying Underlying Beliefs About Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Low-Income Older Adults: An Elicitation Study Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior.

OBJECTIVE: Identify underlying salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption among limited-income older adults. DESIGN: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used as the framework for conducting semistructured individual interviews in 2016. SETTING: Two congregate meal sites in the city of Tuscaloosa, AL. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 25 low-income older adults aged ≥60 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about F&V intake. ANALYSIS: All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using a hybrid inductive and deductive content analysis approach. RESULTS: The elicitation interviews identified salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about F&V intake among low-income older adults. CONCLUSIONS: These results can be used to develop nutrition education programs aimed at improving economically vulnerable older adults' F&V intake.

Acquisition of in vitro and in vivo functionality of Nurr1-induced dopamine neurons.

Neural precursor cells provide an expandable source of neurons and glia for basic and translational applications. However, little progress has been made in directing naive neural precursors toward specific neuronal fates such as midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons. We have recently demonstrated that transgenic expression of the nuclear orphan receptor Nurr1 is sufficient to drive dopaminergic differentiation of forebrain embryonic rat neural precursors in vitro. However, Nurr1-induced DA neurons exhibit immature neuronal morphologies and functional properties and are unable to induce behavioral recovery in rodent models of Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we report on the identification of key genetic factors that drive morphological and functional differentiation of Nurr1-derived DA neurons. We show that coexpression of Nurr1, Bcl-XL, and Sonic hedgehog (SHH) or Nurr1 and the proneural bHLH factor Mash1 is sufficient to drive naive rat forebrain precursors into neurons exhibiting the biochemical, electrophysiological, and functional properties of DA neuron in vitro. On transplantation into the striatum of Parkinsonian rats, precursor cells engineered with Nurr1/SHH/Bcl-XL or Nurr1/Mash1 survived in vivo and differentiated into mature DA neurons that can reverse the behavioral deficits in the grafted animals.