A mixed-methods approach to understanding barriers and facilitators to healthy eating and exercise from five European countries: highlighting the roles of enjoyment, emotion and social engagement.
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| Title: | A mixed-methods approach to understanding barriers and facilitators to healthy eating and exercise from five European countries: highlighting the roles of enjoyment, emotion and social engagement. |
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| Authors: | Snuggs, Sarah, Clot, Sophie, Lamport, Daniel, Sah, Anumeha, Forrest, Joseph, Helme Guizon, Agnes, Kaur, Amanpreet, Iqbal, Zara, Caldara, Cindy, Wilhelm, Marie-Claire, Anin, Camille, Vogt, Julia |
| Source: | Psychology & Health. May2025, Vol. 40 Issue 5, p852-879. 28p. |
| Subjects: | Health services accessibility, Natural foods, Exercise, Research funding, Body mass index, Questionnaires, Emotions, Transtheoretical model of change, Descriptive statistics, Motivation (Psychology), Food habits, Research methodology, Health behavior, Social participation |
| Geographic Terms: | Europe |
| Abstract: | Healthy adults are consistently falling below national and international recommendations for physical activity and dietary intake across Europe. This study took a co-creative approach with adult samples from five European countries to qualitatively and quantitatively establish motivators, barriers and sustaining factors for positive health behaviour change. Stage 1 delivered a newly-designed online programme, creating a community who identified challenges, motivators and solutions to sustaining positive healthy eating and physical activity behaviours. Stage 2 administered an online survey (developed from Stage 1 findings) to a larger sample to quantify the relative importance of these motivators and barriers. Results from both stages indicated enjoyment, positive emotions, and reward as key motivators for both behaviours across all five countries. Barriers included habit-breaking difficulties, temptation and negative affective states. Those with a high BMI placed more importance on social pressure than those with healthy BMI. Participants' reports of motivators and barriers reflected relevant approaches from consumer science, behavioural economics, and psychology. Interventions supporting adults who are not chronically ill but would benefit from improved diet and/or physical activity should not focus exclusively on health as a motivating factor. Emphasis on enjoyable behaviours, social engagement and reward will likely improve engagement and sustained behaviour change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Healthy adults are consistently falling below national and international recommendations for physical activity and dietary intake across Europe. This study took a co-creative approach with adult samples from five European countries to qualitatively and quantitatively establish motivators, barriers and sustaining factors for positive health behaviour change. Stage 1 delivered a newly-designed online programme, creating a community who identified challenges, motivators and solutions to sustaining positive healthy eating and physical activity behaviours. Stage 2 administered an online survey (developed from Stage 1 findings) to a larger sample to quantify the relative importance of these motivators and barriers. Results from both stages indicated enjoyment, positive emotions, and reward as key motivators for both behaviours across all five countries. Barriers included habit-breaking difficulties, temptation and negative affective states. Those with a high BMI placed more importance on social pressure than those with healthy BMI. Participants' reports of motivators and barriers reflected relevant approaches from consumer science, behavioural economics, and psychology. Interventions supporting adults who are not chronically ill but would benefit from improved diet and/or physical activity should not focus exclusively on health as a motivating factor. Emphasis on enjoyable behaviours, social engagement and reward will likely improve engagement and sustained behaviour change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 08870446 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/08870446.2023.2274045 |
