Do health anxiety and social value shape the intention to consume functional food: the role of health knowledge levels—evidence from Istanbul

Purpose – This study has two main purposes. First, the effects of health anxiety and perceived social value on the intention to consume functional food were examined. Second, the role of health knowledge levels in these relationships was identified. Design/methodology/approach – The sample consisted of 271 restaurant consumers on the European side of Istanbul between August and October 2021. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the research model. Findings – Restaurant consumers revealed that health anxiety and perceived social value positively affect functional food consumption intentions. Moreover, health knowledge levels have a negative moderating effect on the relationship between health anxiety and functional food consumption intentions. Originality/value – Thanks to the findings of this study, the roles of health anxiety, perceived social value and health knowledge in functional food consumption were determined, thus filling a vital literature gap.