Exploring the Antecedents of Red Meat Consumption: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Research has shown that consuming red meat is associated with an increased risk of developing health issues. Therefore, it is important to investigate the factors influencing people’s willingness to reduce their red meat intake. The present study explored the antecedents of individuals’ red meat consumption by extending the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB, Ajzen, 1991) with past behavior as a precursor of TPB constructs. The study was conducted in two waves. An online survey was administered to a convenience sample of 709 Italian adults (56.7% male, Mage = 32 years). At T1, participants completed a questionnaire with measures of all independent variables and their intention to consume a maximum of 100g of red meat per week in the next month, the amount of red meat recommended by the Mediterranean Diet. At T2, participants reported their red meat intake in the previous month. The relation model tested via SEM explained 68% and 29% of the variance in intention and behavior, respectively. Past consumption of red meat predicted all TPB constructs, the intention to consume a maximum of 100g of red meat per week, and future behavior directly. Finally, the intention was associated with cognitive attitude, injunctive norm, perceived behavioral control, and reduced future red meat consumption. Results indicate that habitual dietary behaviors have a significant impact on red meat consumption, beyond the TPB constructs. Therefore, when developing interventions aimed at promoting healthy and sustainable eating behaviors, it is crucial to consider people’s habitual eating preferences, and how they have become established.