factors affecting food waste management behavior in iran: a systematic review based on behavioral theories

Introduction: food waste in iran is approximately six times higher than the global average, posing significant challenges to food security, the environment, and economic sustainability at regional, national, and international levels. despite substantial evidence on consumer behavior in waste management, limited knowledge exists regarding the factors influencing food waste management behavior in iran. this systematic review identifies and analyzes these factors based on behavioral theories. methods: a comprehensive search was conducted across five databases—pubmed, scopus, web of science, sciencedirect, and magiran—to identify cross-sectional studies examining food waste behavior through the lens of behavioral theories. studies published in english from inception to october 2022 were included. the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (prisma) framework guided the identification, screening, and inclusion of studies in this review. results: out of 14 screened articles, four met the eligibility criteria and were included in the study. the behavioral theories applied in these studies were the theory of planned behavior (tpb), the theory of reasoned action (tra), and the social cognitive theory (sct). the most commonly identified predictors of food waste behavior were attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms. additionally, enhancing food waste reduction skills emerged as a valuable strategy to increase perceived control and individuals' ability to adopt sustainable food waste management practices. conclusions: the key constructs of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control from the theory of planned behavior (tpb) significantly predict food waste management behavior. however, incorporating an expanded version of tpb may yield a more significant impact on behavior modification.