Influence of the daily context on the process of change in nutritional behaviour

Peer-reviewed | Manuscript received: : May 16, 2014 | Revision accepted: October 20, 2014

Qualitative survey of individuals with increased cholesterol levels

Introduction

Nutritional behaviour is very stable over time, so that it is very tedious to bring about a permanent change in behaviour [1]. For a long time, preventive and acute measures in nutritional education, instruction and advice have largely concentrated on enhancing nutritional knowledge [2, 3]. However, some studies have shown that the acquired nutritional knowledge has only a very minor influence on daily health conscious nutrition.

Although basic nutritional knowledge is essential for health conscious nutritional behaviour, it does not provide a complete explanation for the intention or decision to adopt healthy nutrition or for the implementation of this intention [4, 5]. Theoretical concepts and the results of research in health psychology have had little influence on nutritional research or interventions [5, 6]. However, so-called “stage models” (e.g. the Transtheoretical Model of health behaviour change or the Health Action Process Approach) can be used to derive specific strategies to adopt and maintain healthy behaviour. These psychological models assume that persons on the path to the desired healthy behaviour undergo development through different stages. It follows that measures to support health should be designed to support persons in their transition to the next stage, for example, in that they make the decision to change their behaviour in future (intention formation, see too • Figure 2) [7].

Abstract

A qualitative survey was performed to identify the individual subjective conditions and factors at various points or stages during the process of change in nutritional behaviour. The investigation was based on the theoretical assumption that the process of change in health behaviour passes through five stages; in the first stage the subject is undecided and in the final stage active. Although current research is concentrated on persons who are already health conscious, this new approach makes it possible to include individuals who have been inactive. Before the study started, there was a group discussion with practicing nutritionists. The results of the following individual interviews imply that nutritional intervention should be more strongly focussed on the individual and on the circumstances of their daily lives. At the same time, current knowledge on health psychology should be incorporated.

Keywords: change in nutritional behaviour, day-to-day life, behaviour-modelling barriers and resources, stage models

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