Psychosocial and Community Factors Are Strongly Linked to Diet Quality Among Rural Adults, Study Finds

A large cross-sectional study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), published by Elsevier, examined how psychosocial and environmental factors relate to diet quality among 2,420 adults living in rural and micropolitan communities in New York and Texas. Findings demonstrated that psychosocial factors, including healthy eating motivation, confidence in maintaining healthy eating habits, and social support from family and friends, were consistently associated with better diet quality.

Researchers also evaluated participants’ perceptions of their local food environment, alongside measures of diet quality, fruit and vegetable intake, fiber intake, and ultraprocessed food consumption.

Participants with higher scores in these areas consumed more fruits, vegetables, and fiber, and fewer ultraprocessed foods. The availability of fresh fruits and vegetables in the community and the importance participants placed on food quality, price, and selection when choosing where to shop were also linked to healthier dietary intake.

On average, participants reported eating 2.6 cups of fruits and vegetables per day and 15 grams of fiber daily. These numbers are similar to national averages, but still below recommended intake levels. Nearly 40% of participants reported experiencing household food insecurity, and roughly half lived in households earning less than $50,000 per year.

“These results reinforce the need for multifaceted approaches to improving nutrition. Rural adults face elevated risks for diet-related health conditions, yet nutrition behaviors in these communities are shaped by more than just access to food,” said lead author Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, PhD, RDN, LD, CSCS, Associate Director, Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, and Professor of Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University. “Our findings highlight that motivation, confidence, and support for healthy eating — along with the local food environment — all play meaningful roles in shaping diet quality.”

These findings emphasize the importance of nuanced approaches to improving nutrition in different rural communities. The authors call for future studies to evaluate how changes in psychosocial and environmental factors over time may influence dietary behavior across diverse populations.

Notes for editors

The article is "Associations Between Diet Quality and Psychosocial and Environmental Factors in Rural Adults," by Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, PhD; Karla L. Hanson, PhD; Galen D. Eldridge, MS; Grace A. Marshall, MHS; Meredith L. Graham, MS; Miriam E. Nelson, PhD; Deyaun L. Villarreal, PhD; Johanna Y. Andrews Trevino, PhD; and Jay E. Maddock, PhD (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2025.10.010). It appears in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, volume 58, issue 2 (February 2026), published by Elsevier.

The article is openly available via a CC BY-NC-ND license at https://www.jneb.org/article/S1499-4046(25)00456-7/fulltext.

Full text of the article is also available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Eileen Leahy at +1 732 406 1313 or [email protected] to obtain a copy. To schedule an interview with the author(s), please contact Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, PhD, at [email protected].

An audio podcast featuring an interview with Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, PhD, and other information for journalists are available at https://www.jneb.org/content/media. Excerpts from the podcast may be reproduced by the media with permission from Eileen Leahy.

About the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB)

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB), is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education and dietary/physical activity behaviors. The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research, emerging issues, and practices relevant to nutrition education and behavior worldwide and to promote healthy, sustainable food choices. It supports the society’s efforts to disseminate innovative nutrition education strategies and communicate information on food, nutrition, and health issues to students, professionals, policy makers, targeted audiences, and the public.

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior features articles that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice, and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests of health, nutrition, education, Cooperative Extension, and other professionals working in areas related to nutrition education and behavior. As the Society's official journal, JNEB also includes occasional policy statements, issue perspectives, and member communications. www.jneb.org

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a global leader in advanced information and decision support. For over a century, we have been helping advance science and healthcare to advance human progress. We support academic and corporate research communities, doctors, nurses, future healthcare professionals and educators across 170 countries in their vital work. We do this by delivering mission-critical insights and innovative solutions that combine trusted, evidence-based scientific and medical content with cutting-edge AI technologies to help impact makers achieve better outcomes. We champion inclusion and sustainability by embedding these values into our products and culture, working with the communities that we serve. The Elsevier Foundation supports research and health partnerships around the world.

Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, visit www.elsevier.com and follow us on social media @ElsevierConnect.