Fast Food Consumption Behaviors in High-School Students based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)

Background: Studies report inappropriate snack and junk food consumption patterns in children and young adults in Iran. The current survey was aimed to explore fast food consumption behaviors in high-school students based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among 500 high-school students. Samples were selected based on cluster sampling method at first and simple random at second. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. To analyze, SPSS-16 and tests, including t-test, Chi-square, correlation coefficient and multiple regressions were used. Results: The monthly frequency of fast food consumption was 4.01. The TPB explained fast food use behaviors with R2 of 0.6, effectively. Results also represented that frequency of fast food consumption was meaningfully in line with behavioral intention (β = 0.60, P < 0.05) and subjective norms (β = 0.17, P < 0.05). Conclusion: It seems likely beneficial to consider important subjective norms (especially friends) that may strongly effect on high-school student intention to use fast food. Also students perceived behavioral control must be increased.