Interplay Between Self-Efficacy and Perceived Availability at Home and in the School Neighborhood on Adolescents’ Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Energy-Dense, Low-Nutrient Food and Sugary Drink Consumption

Objective: The current study aimed to examine the interplay between self-efficacy and perceived availabilities of fruits and vegetables (F&V) and energy-dense, low-nutrient foods and sugary drinks (EDLNF&SD) at home and in the school neighborhoods on adolescents’ eating behaviors. Design: The Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating study, a cross-sectional, Internet-based survey was analyzed. Participants: Adolescent–parent dyads (n = 1,657). Interventions: Self-efficacy for F&V intake and limiting EDLNF&SD consumption, perceived F&V and EDLNF&SD availabilities at home and in the school neighborhood, and F&V intake and EDLNF&SD consumption. Analysis: Multiple regression analyses. Results: Adolescents’ self-efficacy and perceived home and school neighborhood availability of F&V and EDLNF&SD had significant main effects on their F&V intake and EDLNF&SD consumption, respectively (all P <.01). The positive effect of self-efficacy on F&V intake was greater when home F&V availability was high (+1 SD; b =.29; P <.001) than when it was low (–1 SD; b =.07; P =.040). The effect of home F&V availability on F&V intake was significant when F&V were not available in the school neighborhood (b =.09; P =.006). Conclusions and Implications: Given the central role of home availability, it may be considered a fundamental unit of nutrition intervention for adolescents. Multiple contexts (eg, individual, home, school neighborhood) need to be considered to promote adolescents’ eating behaviors.