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).
Keywords: Environmental worry; Fruit and vegetable intake; Future focus; Intention.
© 2021. International Society of Behavioral Medicine.