*Health Related Behaviours

Chapter 15 Notes - STRESS, COPING, AND HEALTH

Major Categories of Health-Related Behaviours

Definitions

  • Health-enhancing behaviours

    • Definition: Behaviours that maintain or improve health.

  • Health-compromising behaviours

    • Definition: Behaviours that increase the risk of illness.

Examples

  • Health-enhancing behaviours:

    • Exercise

    • Nutritious eating

    • Safe sex

    • Medical check-ups

  • Health-compromising behaviours:

    • Smoking

    • Heavy drinking

    • Poor diet

    • Unprotected sex

    • Sedentary lifestyle

The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Behaviour Change

Overview

  • Developed by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente in 1984.

  • The TTM explains how individuals change behaviour through a series of six stages.

  • Emphasizes that change is not linear; people often move back and forth through stages before sustaining permanent change.

Six Stages of Change

  1. Precontemplation

    • The problem is unrecognized or denied. The individual has no intention to change.

  2. Contemplation

    • The person recognizes the problem and begins to consider change but feels ambivalent.

  3. Preparation

    • The person intends to take action soon (usually within a month) and may start making small changes.

  4. Action

    • The person actively modifies behaviour and environment. This stage requires effort, willpower, and coping strategies.

  5. Maintenance

    • The new behaviour is sustained for at least six months. The focus is on preventing relapse.

  6. Termination

    • The change becomes permanent and automatic. The person no longer experiences temptation.

Key Insights

  • Interventions should match a person's stage (e.g., awareness campaigns for precontemplation, relapse prevention for maintenance).

  • People often cycle through stages before reaching termination.

  • Behaviour change is not a switch; it's a staircase.

  • The TTM recognizes that real, lasting change requires readiness, persistence, and personalized support.

Relapse Reasons

  • Immediate gratification

  • Lack of self-efficacy or belief in maintaining change

Increasing Behaviours That Enhance Health

Historical Context

  • By the 1970s, research indicated that lifestyle habits were vital for long-term health and longevity.

  • Psychologists began studying how daily behaviours like sleep, diet, and exercise affect life expectancy.

Classic Study: Belloc (1973)

  • Conducted a longitudinal study involving nearly 7,000 adults, revealing that adherence to seven health practices predicted a longer life:

    1. Sleeping 7-8 hours per night

    2. Eating breakfast daily

    3. Not smoking

    4. Rarely snacking between meals

    5. Maintaining a healthy body weight

    6. Engaging in regular physical activity

    7. Drinking small-to-moderate amounts of alcohol

  • Key Finding: Having 6-7 habits predicted a significantly longer life expectancy compared to only 0-3 habits.

  • These behaviours began to strongly predict mortality differences after age 45.

Key Insight

  • "The couch potato lives - but not for long."

  • Lifestyle choices, not solely genetics, determine health outcomes.

  • Regular exercise, balanced diet, and consistent sleep patterns are the strongest predictors of a long, healthy life.

Summary Table of Health Practices

Health Practice

Effect on Health

Regular exercise

Strengthens heart, reduces obesity and stress

Balanced diet

Prevents chronic disease, boosts immunity

Adequate sleep

Regulates hormones, reduces inflammation

No smoking

Lowers cancer and cardiovascular risk

Moderate alcohol use

Decreases risk of liver disease

Weight maintenance

Reduces diabetes and joint issues

Eating breakfast daily

Stabilizes metabolism and energy

What Is Aerobic Exercise?

Definition

  • Aerobic exercise refers to sustained, rhythmic physical activity that increases the body's requirement for oxygen and elevates the heart rate over time.

Examples

  • Jogging

  • Swimming

  • Cycling

  • Brisk walking

  • Rowing

Evidence of Health and Longevity Benefits

  • Harvard longitudinal study with 17,000 participants found that moderate exercisers had 3 lower death rates than sedentary individuals.

  • Best outcomes occur at 70-85% of maximum heart rate, for 20-60 minutes, 3 times weekly.

  • This data evidences that even modest exercise significantly improves longevity and quality of life.

Psychological and Behavioural Benefits of Regular Aerobic Exercise

  • Reduces stress and anxiety by balancing neurotransmitters.

  • Improves cognitive function and memory.

  • Boosts mood and alleviates symptoms of depression through endorphin release (commonly referred to as the "runner's high").

  • Encourages self-efficacy and enhances the sense of control over one's health.

Behavioural Interventions and Motivation for Regular Exercise

  • Findings from these studies have informed health psychology interventions designed to promote regular exercise, which may include:

    • Education about benefits and safe practices.

    • Goal setting and written exercise contracts.

    • Progress monitoring and self-tracking tools.

    • Social support systems, such as workout partners or group programs.