Self-control, social cognitions, and automatic social images : Insights into determinants of healthy lifestyle among young men in military service
Year: 2016
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Despite being aware of public health guidelines, young men often consume too little vegetables, too much fast food, are quite inactive, and have relatively poor fitness levels. The aims were to examine the following: Is higher self-control associated with improved health behaviors, better fitness, and lower Body Mass Index (BMI)? Is the healthier eating of people with high self-control actually explained by HAPA-model e.g. with higher self-efficacy and more planning? Are typical healthy and unhealthy peer eaters (prototypes) evaluated differently when they are choosing healthy foods or abstaining from unhealthy foods? Are these prototypes associated with eating? And does an intervention of social images promote fruit and vegetable consumption? The present study is part of the DefenceNutri study. Data from 1824 Finnish male conscripts between 2008 and 2009 (age M = 20) was collected at the beginning of the military service, eight weeks after baseline (79% retention) and six months after baseline (67% retention). Studies I and III were cross-sectional observational studies, Study II was prospective and Study IV was non-randomized controlled intervention. Measures included questionnaires, height, weight, and physical fitness. Higher self-control was associated with healthier eating habits, higher leisure-time physical activity, better fitness and lower BMI. The association of higher self-control and fruit and vegetable consumption was fully explained by the HAPA-model; i.e. by higher self-efficacy and positive outcome expectancies of healthy eating, higher risk perceptions of unhealthy eating, higher intentions to eat fruit and vegetables and more planning in eating. However, the HAPA-model explained only partially the negative association between self-control and fast food consumption. Healthy-eating peers (whether choosing or abstaining) were mainly perceived more positively than unhealthy eating peers. A positive rating of vegetable-choosing peers was associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption. The associations of perceptions of a fat-choosing or -abstaining peer with fast food eating were weaker. The social images of peer eater became unhealthier and vegetable consumption declined during the military service. The intervention had some success in diminishing the negative development of images and vegetable consumption but, the mechanism could not be verified. Whereas high self-control is a relatively enduring trait, the social cognitive factors found to mediate self-control and behavior can be affected. Prototypes play a role in young men s eating behavior, but merely in fruit and vegetable consumption, not in fast food consumption. Targeting prototypes by campaign might require more participatory action from the target population.
Source: Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja
Author: Kinnunen, Marja
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2575634054