Concern with Appearance, Health Beliefs, and Eating Habits

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Abstract
Most research on the determinants of protective health behaviors examines health beliefs as the major motivating force. We hypothesize that concern with appearance is also a motivating force in eating diets low in calories and cholesterol and high in fruits and vegetables. Using a representative sample of 400 adults in Illinois (collected in 1984), we find that both health beliefs and appearance concerns affect eating habits. Health beliefs are modeled as an interaction between concern with health and health locus of control, since we expect that concern with health has the largest impact on eating habits for persons who believe they have some control over their health. This interaction terms is significant. For the average person, appearance is as large a motivating factor in eating habits as is concern with health. We discuss the implications of this finding for the health of the population, especially women.

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