Behavioral, normative and control beliefs underlying low-fat dietary and regular physical activity behaviors for adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors is an important aspect of interventions designed to improve the management of chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The present study used Ajzen's (1991) theory of planned behavior as a framework to examine beliefs amongst adults diagnosed with these conditions who do and do not engage in low-fat dietary and regular physical activity behaviors. Participants (N = 192) completed a questionnaire assessing their behavioral, normative and control beliefs in relation to regular, moderate physical activity and eating foods low in saturated fats. Measures of self-reported behavior were also examined. The findings revealed that, in general, it is the underlying behavioral beliefs that are important determinants for both physical activity and low-fat food consumption with some evidence to suggest that pressure from significant others is an important consideration for low-fat food consumption. Laziness, as a barrier to engaging in physical activity, also emerged as an important factor. To encourage a healthy lifestyle amongst this population, interventions should address the perceived costs associated with behavioral performance and encourage people to maintain healthy behaviors in light of these costs.

Keywords:

• Physical activity
• low-fat food consumption
• diabetes
• cardiovascular disease
• theory of planned behaviour
• beliefs

Acknowledgements

This study was conducted as part of a grant to the second author from Queensland Health, Diabetes Australia—Queensland and The Heart Foundation—Queensland.

For their assistance with this study, the authors would like to thank Kylie Burton, Barbara Sponza, Theresa Collison, Jan Coad, Ruth Dukes, Ann Dyne, Helen Elliott, Claire Hyde, Rene Hinton, Debbie McGrath, Betty Mulder, Susan Mylne, Cheryl Pearson, Gaylene Weir, Cindy Wood and Paul Norman.

Notes

1. The physical activity target behavior was based on National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians. Given the study's population of older participants with a chronic condition, a realistic target behavior was stated as engaging in moderate physical activity on a regular basis. Moderate physical activity was defined as any movement that causes a slight but noticeable increase in breathing and heart rate and may cause light sweating in some people. A regular basis was defined as at least three occasions per week. For low-fat food consumption, the measures were based on recommendations contained in the Dietary Guidelines for Australians and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, 2001). These recommendations include: (a) substitute margarine composed largely of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat for butter, (b) use only low-fat dairy products, (c) use a monounsaturated or polyunsaturated cooking oil and (d) trim all visible fat from meats.

2. There were no identified sex differences or differences based on type of diagnosis in the study's analyses.