title: Why is changing health-related behaviour so difficult?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate that six common errors made in attempts to change behaviour have prevented the implementation of the scientific evidence base derived from psychology and sociology; to suggest a new approach which incorporates recent developments in the behavioural sciences.
  
  
  METHODS
  The role of health behaviours in the origin of the current epidemic of non-communicable disease is observed to have driven attempts to change behaviour. It is noted that most efforts to change health behaviours have had limited success. This paper suggests that in policy-making, discussions about behaviour change are subject to six common errors and that these errors have made the business of health-related behaviour change much more difficult than it needs to be.
  
  
  METHODS
  Overview of policy and practice attempts to change health-related behaviour.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reasons why knowledge and learning about behaviour have made so little progress in alcohol, dietary and physical inactivity-related disease prevention are considered, and an alternative way of thinking about the behaviours involved is suggested. This model harnesses recent developments in the behavioural sciences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to understand the conditions preceding behaviour psychologically and sociologically and to combine psychological ideas about the automatic and reflective systems with sociological ideas about social practice.
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Unit, Institute of Public Health, Forvie Site, University of Cambridge, CB2 0SR, UK. Electronic address: mk744@medschl.cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barker
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology; D058872:Epidemics / Q000517:prevention & control; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011582:Psychological Theory; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Behaviour change; Non-communicable disease; Psychological theory; Public health; Social practice