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Perceptions of the roles of behaviour and genetics in disease risk: Are they associated with behaviour change attempts

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: The aims of the present study were to (i) examine the prevalence of perceived behavioural and genetic causal beliefs for four chronic conditions (i.e. obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer); (ii) to examine the association between these causal beliefs and attempts at behaviour change (i.e. physical activity, weight management, fruit intake, vegetable intake and soda intake). The data come from the Health Information National Trends Survey, a nationally representative population-based survey of adults (N = 3407). Results indicated that participants held both behavioural and genetic causal beliefs for all four chronic conditions. Multivariate analyses indicated that behavioural causal beliefs were significantly associated with attempts to increase physical activity and vegetable intake and to decrease weight. Genetic causal beliefs for cancer were significantly associated with reported attempts to maintain weight. Behaviour and genetic causal beliefs were not associated with changes in either fruit or soda intake. In conclusion, while behavioural causal beliefs are associated with behavioural change, measurement must capture disease-specific behavioural causal beliefs as they are associated with different health behaviours.

Source: Psychology and Health

DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2014.972958

Authors: Anh B. Nguyen, April Oh, Richard P. Moser, Heather Patrick

Institution: National Cancer Institute

Language: English

Topic: Behavioral Health and Interventions

Subfield: Applied Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institutes of Health