Healthy eaters beat unhealthy eaters in prototype evaluation among men, but abstinence may pose a risk for social standing

A prototype-targeting intervention for the promotion of healthy eating in adolescents

Purpose

Unhealthy eating among adolescents from families with lower social status is a major concern. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and evaluation of a prototype-targeting intervention for the promotion of healthy eating in this target group.

Design/methodology/approach

The planning model intervention mapping (IM) was chosen to proceed systematically, to use theory and evidence herein and to make decisions transparent. A controlled study with three times of data assessment was conducted to evaluate process characteristics and effects (N=108).

Findings

“Provide opportunities for social comparison” (behavioural change technique 6.2) was chosen as change method and “perceived similarity” was identified as the condition for its effectiveness. An intervention unit was designed for application. The evaluation results show the feasibility of the unit; materials and activities successfully applied the change method and its condition for effectiveness; and intervention objectives were generally achieved.

Practical implications

A prototype-targeting intervention is provided that is based on theory and evidence, and is suitable for implementation. More generally, the paper can serve as a blueprint for the systematic planning of theory- and evidence-based interventions targeting specific personal determinants for behaviour change.

Originality/value

The paper makes an important contribution to the application of the prototype-related theory and a useful addition of IM to the growing field of intervention development and design.

The social image of food: Associations between popularity and eating behavior

One factor that determines what we eat and why we eat is our social environment. In the present research, two online studies examined the relationship between food intake and social images. Specifically, the present research assessed the relationship between the food intake university students ascribed to peers who varied in popularity and own self-reported food intake, and whether this relationship was moderated by identification with the peer group. Participants (N = 97 in Study 1; N = 402 in Study 2) were randomly presented with one of four (Study 1) or two of eight (Study 2) vignettes describing a popular or unpopular student (male or female) from their university without receiving any information about the peer's eating behavior. Subsequently, healthy and unhealthy eating ascribed to the peers and own self-reported eating behavior were assessed. Results indicated that popular peers were perceived to eat more healthily than unpopular peers. Moreover, eating behavior ascribed to popular peers were associated with own healthy and unhealthy eating. Importantly, the relationship between healthy eating behavior ascribed to popular peers and own healthy eating behavior was moderated by identification with the student group - the more participants identified with their peers, the more their own eating was aligned with the healthy eating ascribed to a popular peer. Hence, the popularity of others seems to shape perceptions of the food they eat and may facilitate healthy eating via social influence.