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This assignment will discuss the Health Related Belief Model and its application as well

as also discussing alternative model while discussing the limitation of HBM in order to provide

the secondary descriptive preference with respect to choice of food. Contento’s model

implication has been discussed in order to answer the upraised questions concerning human

choices of food.

Health Belief Model

Rosen Stock et al., in 1994, proposed Health Belief Model (HBM) with a complex

theoretical mechanisms. The proposed model is grounded on social cognition model (1). The

significant hypothesis of this model based on the background of choice of food (2).

o Perceived vulnerability is the subjective features of an individual to observe risk in

choosing food.

o Apparent severity of the condition is related to individual assessment as a result of the food

choice (3).

o Combined impact of severity and susceptibility concerning choice of food (4).

o Indicating the motivational level for an individual in order to avoid the potential concerns.

o Demographic characteristics for instance age, race, ethnic background, gender, and socio

economic for example economic circumstances and educational level grounded on earning.

o Perceived benefits are understanding of the positive benefits of the health actions that

would result in the benefit by covering the perceived threats. Perceived benefits are not

only understandable in the context of the proximal factors, but also the motivation of the

individual is also important to understand the influence of perceived benefits (5).

o Negative aspects of perceived barriers thus adding values also causing interference

regarding choking those barriers and taking advantage (6).

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o Another essential concept proposed by Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy or self-

confidence is termed as a personal ability of an individual in order to accomplish certain

behaviors or goals (7).

o Self-efficacy, perceived benefits or barriers are considered to be a result of general

expectations of an individual. These factors are kept important in order to perceive the

dedication of an individual towards a specific goal.

o Prompts that facilitates the consistent intention and undergoing actions of an individuals.

Communication with peer or family or media, perception about personal illness are the

some common internal and external factors were included (3).

Figure 1: Health Belief Model by Rosen Stock et al. (2)

There are dozens of different models that explain the food choice preference of the

important models are following.

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Theoretical Models for understanding and changing the food choice behavior

Theory Food choice context (s)

In the context of social cognition theory, eating habits change

during holidays as people encountered with a broader range of

advertisement during holiday approach. Overeating is the

Social cognitive theory observed response of the people during the holidays. The

advertisement has a major role as food is advertised on stores,

different displays and at buffet party (8).

It is essential for the individual to understand the feeling of

perception regarding the right time to change if a person is ready

Stages of change
to change the consequences will be more appropriate and

successful in planning nutrition intervention (9).

Consumer information The information that is available on the labels is too much hence

processing resulting in causing overload on the consumers. The consumer

information processing is very important for those consumers

who are concerned regarding nutrition always process the label

information before making a decision buying the food (10).

Health Belief Model If a person has been told that he has high cholesterol level, he

would likely to consume low fat lunches, if he believes this

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behavior will help and considering the fact that if he has the

availability of the low fat food (2).

Multi-attribute utility Taste of food and level of convenience to get the food are an

theory essential attribute for a person who decides what to eat on the

basis of likeness and convenience is less likely to get results

from an intervention plan that zeros on these attributes (11).

Diffusion of innovations People prefer to try those new foods that have similar taste of the

existing likings of the individuals.

Role of health belief model in human food choice behavior

Formerly, HBM is considered as a comprehensive and explanatory model that facilitate

in planning modifications. The clinical implication of this model, helps in developing

intervention or strategies in order to persuade the public or people individually in concern with

health related decisions. Also, it can significantly identify the risk factors for instance diabetes,

cholesterol and high blood pressure as they are concerned with their health. Health consultants

highlighted the importance of HBM as they tend to use this model in order to persuade their

clients in a precise and specific manner, while listing down all the risk factors of their related

problems also recommendations are prescribed regarding their dietary changes for reducing the

risk factors.
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Health Belief model is not a good human food choice

Health Belief Model was developed after a systematic analysis as a revolutionary

decision in late 1950s. It was reported that HBM in relation has a positive significant impact on

its social and other factors associated with incongruences with respect to health related

behaviours in present time. It laid focus on why individuals do not consider and showed serious

concerns regarding their health. According to researches, results showed that clinical implication

of HBM are insufficient as it facilitates in developing certain strategies and involvement in order

to consider attitude and health related beliefs.

Perceived threat also as significant importance while investigating HBM thus acting as a

source of motivation. Also having phenomenological orientation of its implications.

Demographic variables for instance socio-economic factors, and perceived obstacles reported

that individuals plays a vital role while perceiving the world consciously.

Some ambiguous recommendations regarding volitional control in order to understand

behaviours. As there are other also significant realities and response grounded on emotional,

typical and irrational responses towards external incitement.

Apparently, it has been verified from the researches regarding limitation on the

descriptive significance of HBM while comparison with social cognition model such as theory of

reasoned actions. Moreover, cognitive domains are more discussed as related to environmental,

social and economic aspects where these are not mentioned in HBM

Drivers for human Food Choice

Various factors are involved in food choice, moreover, according to the nature of

individual and food choices, sensory perception plays a significant role in choosing food. Food
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preferences developed from the prior experience of their taste, flavors in association with

consumption of food. Liking and disliking of food may occur as a result of chemical preference

of the food. Recently, researches has been conducted in order to highlight the food preference

regarding the consumption of food and apprehensions concerning nutrition beneath the practical

aspects. Intake of food with respect to the preference of individual also depends upon the

developmental stages of with a variety of responses such as age which lessen the human insight

having a significant influence among aged people and intake of food (12). To identify the

nutritious food content it is significant to highlight the perceptual properties. Moreover, level of

energy and consumption behaviors are related to individual’s selection of food choice.

Important drivers of food choice, attitudes and knowledge regarding the food

considered as a shredding approach concerning junk food. A behavior that individuals often

adapt to get access of food easily. In order to promote the choice of food among individuals

parameters such as knowledge related to surety and safety of food consumption is to be noted

(13). In many researches, cultural desirability plays another important role in enhancing the

biased attitude in consumptions of food however social desirability is negatively related to

consumption of sustainable food (14). Another significant driver, is food valuation according to

recent survey as 50% of the population, are easily persuaded by health related warning messages,

a huge number of population, concerned regarding the healthier food consumption is now

trending among them irrespective of their age and gender depending upon the role of citizen

(15). Another study that focuses on the gender revealed that female autonomy regarding factors

such as food purchasing is moderately leading as there is a positive association have been

founded towards food selecting attitudes along with their liking and disking factors. People who

overlooked the provided information mentioned on the labels are less concerned about the
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nutrient present in that food product. Thus, it can be concluded that people have persuaded

attitude concerning food are less concerned with healthy food (16). On the other hand, home

environment is also essential in identifying the choice of food, moreover, for preschool age

children selection of hygienic and healthy food is significant with respect to household decision

making power which may tend to decrease the poor health related issues in return ensuring the

hygienic availability of food (17). Furthermore, time consumption while cooking food is also an

essential driver for food choice as a result they prefer to buy junk food instead of healthy food in

order to save their time. Hence, choice of food also depends upon the availability of time (18).

Nutrition and perception of food environment is significant for brain in order to make it healthy.

As nutrition’s add food value and helps the brain to stay healthy and also helps in the prevention

of obesity and thus results in successful treatment (19). Moreover, increase in development, also

have an impact on choice of food and dietary habits of individuals by increasing the chance of

development with respect to social and physical environment regarding safety of food and

adding nutrition to food along with the social and economic aspects (20). People who are

conscious about the food choice are directly associated with buying organic food and factors

such as quality and safety of the food products (21). Customer’s satisfaction regarding the

availability of variety of food also enhanced. Demographic variables as people with high

educational background and high socio-economic status are also concerned with respect to the

safety and quality of food as well as variety of food availability (22). Researches revealed that,

certified food safety and quality standard may more likely tend to enhance the purchasing of

product from specific outlet. Thus certification also tend to increase the buying behaviors of

customers for instance these certificates act as a persuasive message for the customers that may

tend to increase their buying behaviors. Also those who provide organic food with respect to
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maintain their safety and quality of food are also demanding in recent era (23). It was reported

that factors such as time and distance also depend upon the food availability (24).Another

research, focuses on the prices of food and safety concerned revealed that these factors tend to

increase the purchasing decision of an individual (25).

Food drivers excluded in the HBM

As mentioned in the researches, drivers have noteworthy position in this context. As it

focuses on HBM limited aspect of drivers that aid to enhance the probability of individual in

engaging them into health related food choice behaviors whereas disregarding the additional vital

aspects for instance food values, time, cultural diversity, sensory aspects of food intake and other

factors, view of apparent danger and rigorousness of situation related to the food choice either

can progress or deteriorate the situations by choosing the preference that aid in cognitive

decision making abilities.

Alternative Model of food choice

Contento in 2000, represented the food choice model based on four diverse levels such as

biological level governs behavioral predisposition depending upon the food taste, pleasure that is

linked with food, starvation, safety mechanism accompanied by mental partialities in order to

choose the food. Second level is concerning about personal experience regarding food preference

based on prior learning and conditioning. Physiological factors includes, acquaintance,

satisfaction with the food, in brief this level depends upon the conditioning regarding choice of

food and satiety however, social conditioning is based on the concept of behavioral modelling
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regarding choice of food reinforcements related to selection of food. These are the context that

are termed with social consequence with the food choice.

Figure 2: Contento’s Model of Food choice (26)

In the above given figure, at intrapersonal food choice level, personal beliefs regarding

food attitudes, anticipations with respect to taste, self-efficacy, self-identity as well as moral and

ethical values considerations, phases convoluted in changing process and skills might increase

the territory of intrapersonal configuration. However, cultural norms and values on societal and

cultural values and norms on social and cultural level deliver the enlightenment in order to

understand the influence of food choice based on intrapersonal variables. Finally, the last level

portrait the environmental factors such as economic, social and physical aspects of the

environment.
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Critical analysis of food choice model

Food choice model can be presented in a comprehension way as it covers all the aspects

on altered levels. This model has been presented by Contento’s model that focus on the dynamic

factors that are not central of HBM and recommended by Wadolowaska et al., findings who

proposed that food choice behaviours are driven by functional and sensory factors with respect to

food intake moreover, associated features such as safety and health factors need sufficient

attention as well as prices also played in a vital role in choosing food. Moreover, Wadolowaska

and his peers minimized the role of advertisement while making food choice decisions, however

if the promotion is related to health issues then it can plays a positive role. According to the

researches, the health motives are different amongst the population. Food choices are also

facilitated by such factors that is age and gender moreover, educational background, residential

localities also financial conditions also play significant role in food choices (27). Studies that

discusses gender with respect to health related behaviours proposed that women’s showed

significant results as compared to men as that have many food preferences regarding their

choices, intake and motives. Also it’s was revealed that people are more conscious in buying

fresh food in economical rates.

Factors for choosing food Socio demographic features

Advertisement Age

Functional Economic conditions

Health Price Education

Sensory Gender

Socio Culture Residential region

Size of the residential place

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Food preference

Food frequency intake

Source: Food choice Model in association with demographics (27)

The clients with no health related issues are problematic to ruminate regarding impact of

health. According to researches, results revealed that males are negatively linked with health

attitudes. The responsiveness can be increased by educating the women having significant role in

families when it comes to health related behaviors. Choice of food can be improved by providing

awareness and knowledge to the public. HBM pays little attention to all domains but Contento

model is as compared to better in providing comprehensive details.

Additionally, several significant features for instance role of associated features have

been undertaking in the health belief model.

As discussed above, no model can individually define all the aspects. Only the Contento

model is enhanced and is better than belief model as it discussed all the domains with respect to

cognitive aspects that have been the essential aspect of HBM. Contento model appears to be time

consuming for individuals in relations to the whole aspects. Largely a cohesive tactic is

noticeable in the present model that emphases on food choice with respect to all aspects apart

from religious obligation on certain food preferences. Furthermore, it always favorable in

situational context with respects to food preferences.

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This paper concluded that, a single model can provide an explanation regarding food

choice but is not sufficient enough to briefly explain the all aspects regarding food preferences.

Integrated models such as Contento model has been extensively used as an informative source

thus providing comprehensive explanation regarding individual’s choice of food. This model

focus on food choice with respect to economic, behavioral, environmental, social and cognitive

aspects of food choices that may aid in the applications of model in various aspects whereas

HBM model aimed at cognitive aspects.