Theory Of Planned Behavior Paper

Introduction
According to Pender, Murdaugh, & Parsons (2011), health constitutes an evolving life experience and among the contributors to health are goal-directed behaviors. Whereas, Riebl, et al. (2015) noted that theories of health behavior have been utilized in explaining and predicting healthy behaviors. Theory of planned behavior is among them and this paper seeks to utilize it to inform dietary behavioral changes. National Cancer Institute (2005) advanced that the theory evaluates the relationship that individual’s beliefs, intentions, attitudes, perceived control have with health behaviors. Essentially, the theory is a social psychological theory attempting to predict and understand the reason that an individual is likely to perform particular behaviors. Attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control are likely to be influential in predicting dietary behavioral intentions that then influences the performance of the behavior.
Theory of Planned Behavior in Altering Dietary Behaviors
Riebl, et al. (2015) observed that, when it comes to establishing dietary behaviors among the youth, knowledge may not influence behavior and the theory of planned behavior fits in settings where intentions for change tend to be low
With behavioral intention being the most critical factor influencing behavior, the desired dietary behaviors would be possible if one is likely to adopt the new dietary behaviors and desist from the earlier unhealthy dietary behaviors. Afterwards, focus shifts to the attitude that one holds about the behavior. It should be established whether the one sees the new behavior as good, neutral or bad. For successful dietary behavior change, it is necessary that behavioral beliefs generate favorable attitudes towards the new behavior (National Cancer Institute,