Mindset versus circumstance: How fatalism and food insecurity shape sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in young adult Latinas

Abstract

This study examined the association between fatalism and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption among young adult Latinas, with food insecurity as a moderating factor. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 829 Latina women aged 18–29. Measures included fatalism, food insecurity, daily SSB intake, education, and income. Moderation analyses showed that fatalism was positively associated with SSB consumption (β = 5.22, p = 0.002), as was food insecurity (β = 20.40, p = 0.010). A significant interaction between fatalism and food insecurity (β = −4.85, p = 0.024) showed that fatalism predicted higher SSB intake among food-secure participants but not among food-insecure individuals. Neither education nor income were significantly associated with SSB consumption. Findings suggest that the behavioral influence of fatalistic beliefs is contingent on material context rather than uniformly expressed, underscoring the importance of integrating psychological and structural factors in research on health-related behaviors. The cross-sectional design limits causal interpretation.