TY - JOUR

T1 - “I'm eating healthy now”

T2 - The relationship between perceived behavior change and diet

AU - Szymczak, Hermann

AU - Keller, Lucas

AU - Debbeler, Luka J.

AU - Kollmann, Josianne

AU - Lages, Nadine C.

AU - Sproesser, Gudrun

AU - Gollwitzer, Peter M.

AU - Schupp, Harald T.

AU - Renner, Britta

N1 - This research was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG, FOR 2374) granted to BR, HTS and PMG and by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research within the project SMARTACT (01EL1820A) granted to BR and HTS. In addition, GS received funding from the German Research Foundation (project “Why people eat in a traditional or modern way: A cross-country study”; (Grant SP 1610/2-1). The funding sources were not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; the writing of the report; or the decision to submit this paper for publication.

PY - 2021/4/1

Y1 - 2021/4/1

N2 - Public health campaigns often encourage people to increase the consumption of vegetables and fruits while limiting sugar, fat, and salt intake. Furthermore, recent approaches increasingly suggest accumulating small behavioral shifts to change eating behavior. However, when individuals actually do notice a positive change in their diet behavior has rarely been studied to date. Accordingly, the present research examined the relationship between felt and actual changes in healthy food intake. Food choice was assessed in two longitudinal studies (Study 1: N = 743; Study 2: N = 489) using a validated food frequency questionnaire. For assessing perceived healthy eating shifts, participants stated at a second measurement-point whether they had changed their eating patterns in the previous six months. Accordingly, participants were classified into four ‘Perceived Change’ groups: Changers, Attempters, Non-Attempters, and Healthy Eaters. In Study 1, participants who claimed they had made a healthy shift in their eating behavior (Changers) shifted from a regular to an optimal dietary pattern. Furthermore, Changers reduced their intake of five food categories: chocolate, cakes/pastries/biscuits, sausages/ham, meat, and eggs. No systematic changes were observed in the remaining groups. These results were replicated in Study 2. Participants perceived a change in their diet only if they had achieved a healthy shift in their dietary pattern. Moreover, Changers in both studies exhibited a significant decrease in their BMI. Overall, the group of Changers improved their diet, potentially reducing their risk for non-communicable diseases. Implications of these findings for public health campaigns are discussed.

AB - Public health campaigns often encourage people to increase the consumption of vegetables and fruits while limiting sugar, fat, and salt intake. Furthermore, recent approaches increasingly suggest accumulating small behavioral shifts to change eating behavior. However, when individuals actually do notice a positive change in their diet behavior has rarely been studied to date. Accordingly, the present research examined the relationship between felt and actual changes in healthy food intake. Food choice was assessed in two longitudinal studies (Study 1: N = 743; Study 2: N = 489) using a validated food frequency questionnaire. For assessing perceived healthy eating shifts, participants stated at a second measurement-point whether they had changed their eating patterns in the previous six months. Accordingly, participants were classified into four ‘Perceived Change’ groups: Changers, Attempters, Non-Attempters, and Healthy Eaters. In Study 1, participants who claimed they had made a healthy shift in their eating behavior (Changers) shifted from a regular to an optimal dietary pattern. Furthermore, Changers reduced their intake of five food categories: chocolate, cakes/pastries/biscuits, sausages/ham, meat, and eggs. No systematic changes were observed in the remaining groups. These results were replicated in Study 2. Participants perceived a change in their diet only if they had achieved a healthy shift in their dietary pattern. Moreover, Changers in both studies exhibited a significant decrease in their BMI. Overall, the group of Changers improved their diet, potentially reducing their risk for non-communicable diseases. Implications of these findings for public health campaigns are discussed.

KW - Behavior change

KW - BMI

KW - Diet

KW - Food choice

KW - Health behavior

KW - Healthy eating

KW - Nutrition

KW - Psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097385627&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.104142

DO - 10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.104142

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85097385627

VL - 89

JO - Food Quality and Preference

JF - Food Quality and Preference

SN - 0950-3293

M1 - 104142

ER -