Effect of Social Beliefs on Consumption of Dairy Products and Its Predicting Factors Based on the Transtheoretical Model: A Population-Based Study

Background: Social beliefs on the consumption of dairy products are associated with health conditions, and the aim of this study is to investigate associated factors with the rate of dairy product intake, in accordance with social health-related beliefs and the elements predicting dairy consumption, based on the transtheoretical Model (TTM).

Methods: 981 subjects (chosen from Mashhad citizens, Iran) were surveyed in random public places in 2014, using demographic surveys and questionnaires based on TTM and advantage/disadvantage by trained interviewers.

Results: 981 Subjects with a mean age of 30.39 ± 14.83 were surveyed in dairy nonconsumer and dairy consumer groups. There was a significant relationship between dairy consumption and gender ( < 0.001). Factors such as age, educational level, job status, and opium addiction were found to be significantly associated with dairy consumption status. Young and female subjects consume more dairy products than their older and male counterparts, respectively. People with a diploma degree and lower levels of education consumed substantially more dairy products than their educated equals. Unemployed participants consumed considerably more dairy products than their fellow employed participants. Opium-addicted subjects were more likely to avoid dairy products.

Conclusions: Despite the general belief of dairy consumption being beneficial, subjects in the precontemplation stage as nonconsumers described dairy products as of poor taste having low diversity in markets. Also, among the reasons, dairies' short shelf-life and behaviours under the influence of society and family were the mains. The termination stage's subjects as consumers consumed dairy products mostly for losing weight.