Eco-Conscious Consumption in the Climate Change Era: Decoding the Mediating Role of Food Safety and Environmental Concerns between Health Literacy and Take-Out Food Consumption in China

Abstract

With take-out food consumption rapidly increasing in China, understanding the factors influencing this dietary shift is crucial for public health, food security, and the environment. This study explores the role of health literacy in take-out food consumption, considering the mediating effects of food safety and environmental concerns and the moderating effect of perceived behavioral control. Cross-sectional survey data from 526 respondents were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and regression to assess the relationships between health literacy, food safety concern, environmental concern, perceived behavioral control, and take-out food consumption frequency. The results revealed that health literacy is negatively associated with consumers’ take-out food consumption frequency; this relationship is completely mediated by food safety and environmental concerns. Furthermore, perceived behavioral control was found to strengthen the impact of food safety and environmental concerns on take-out food consumption frequency. This research advances the interdisciplinary understanding of health literacy’s impact on take-out food consumption by identifying its negative correlation and the mediating roles of food safety concern and environmental concern, with perceived behavioral control intensifying this relationship. Practical implications include the development of public health campaigns and food delivery platforms to strengthen supervision, and digital tools to empower consumers to make informed dietary choices.