Conner, M. and Norman, P. orcid.org/0000-0002-5892-0470 (2021) Predicting long-term healthy eating behaviour: understanding the role of cognitive and affective attitudes. Psychology & Health, 36 (10). pp. 1165-1181. ISSN 0887-0446
Abstract
Objectives
There are few tests of the ability of cognitive and affective attitudes to predict long-term performance of health behaviours. We assessed relationships between cognitive and affective attitudes and healthy eating behaviour over periods of 4, 6 and 10 years. Design: A prospective survey measuring cognitive and affective attitudes at baseline (T1) and 6 years (T2), and self-report healthy eating behaviour at baseline (T1), 6 (T2) and 10 (T3) years later in a sample of UK adults recruited through General Practice (N = 285). Results: When considered simultaneously, affective attitude (T1 and T2) predicted healthy eating behaviour cross-sectionally (at T1 and T2) and prospectively (over 4 [T2-T3], 6 [T1-T2] and 10 [T1-T3] years) whereas cognitive attitude did not. Stability of affective attitude (T1-T2) moderated the affective attitude-behaviour relationship in some (T1-T2, T1-T3), but not all (T2-T3), prospective analyses. Change in affective attitude, but not cognitive attitude (T1-T2), predicted change in behaviour over 6 (T1-T2) and 10 (T1-T3) years. Conclusions: The findings indicate that affective attitudes can be significant predictors of healthy eating behaviour over prolonged time periods suggesting they may be useful targets for interventions designed to produce long-term change in eating behaviour.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Psychology and Health. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Cognitive attitude; affective attitude; healthy eating; attitude stability |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Department of Psychology (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 19 Oct 2020 16:11 |
Last Modified: | 02 Feb 2022 16:23 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Informa UK Limited |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/08870446.2020.1832675 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:166885 |