title: Clustering of diet, physical activity and smoking and a general willingness to change.
abstract: Addressing multiple health behaviours are important in preventing disease and mortality. The present study investigated the clustering of health behaviours, cognitive determinants and stages of change in 2827 adults for the lifestyle factors of physical activity, fruit, vegetable and fat consumption and smoking. The results showed that only 3% of the total population met recommended guidelines for all of the five behaviours. Behaviours were found to be weakly associated. Behaviour-specific cognitions and stages of change for the behaviours clustered more strongly, however. With respect to diet and physical activity, respondents in the preparation stage for one behaviour were likely also to be preparing to change another behaviour. Possible mechanisms for the apparent general willingness to change multiple behaviours are discussed, as well as potential implications for health promotion practice.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Education and Promotion , Maastricht University , PO Box 616 , 6200 MD Maastricht , The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Vries
authors.forename: Stef
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kremers
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smeets
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reubsaet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009426:Netherlands; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014675:Vegetables
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats
keywords: Clustering; determinants; nutrition; physical activity; smoking; stages of change