KA

Notes on Behavior Change and Project Structure

Behavior Change: Overview

  • Exercise and movement are foundational for health. Moving and exercising can improve health even if weight loss is not guaranteed for everyone; weight outcomes depend on individual factors like food, genetics, and other variables, but the health benefits of being active are clear.
  • The speaker references a video with Evan’s perspective on behavioral science and research-backed points, highlighting a practical, relatable approach to motivating others to exercise.
  • Core question: how do we change behavior to improve health? This includes both changing our own behaviors and helping others change theirs.

Why Behavior Change Is Hard

  • Behavior is influenced by a complex mix of factors beyond health alone:
    • Nutrition and dietary choices
    • Accessibility and convenience
    • Financial constraints
    • Cultural and family traditions
    • Social obligations and networks
    • Emotional states and comfort needs
    • Personal preferences and satisfaction
  • The result is that changing behavior is a multi-factor problem rather than a simple willpower issue.
  • People are not always rational or unbiased when making choices, especially in social settings or when dealing with addiction or strong emotions.
  • Cultural norms can bias behavior (e.g., some cultures’ attitudes toward women participating in weightlifting or sports).
  • Behavior change is a process with barriers and possible consequences; not easy or instantaneous.

Group Exercise: Why Would She Eat Pizza? (Categorizing Reasons)

  • Activity prompts students to brainstorm reasons someone might choose pizza, recognizing multiple contributing factors.
  • Emergent categories observed in discussion (illustrative):
    • Nutrition considerations: carbohydrates; basic nutrition choices; best options at dining halls; convenience vs quality.
    • Convenience and accessibility: quick, easy, readily available options; price points; piece-by-piece access.
    • Social factors: social events, obligations, family gatherings, traditions (e.g., Friday pizza night, kid parties).
    • Financial factors: cost, someone buying it for them; perception of value.
    • Cultural and traditional factors: family traditions, cultural celebrations, regional practices around food.
    • Emotional factors: comfort food; mood management; stress eating; emotional satisfaction.
    • Environmental and logistical factors: availability of other foods, dining hall options, time constraints, transportation.
    • Perceived status or habit: routine, habit formation, what’s commonly available in their environment.
  • Additional reflections shown in the discussion:
    • Pizza often serves as a reliable default due to time, cost, and social norms.
    • People may gravitate toward what’s familiar or emotionally comforting, even when they know healthier options exist.
  • Takeaway: eating behavior is shaped by a constellation of factors—biological, social, cultural, emotional, logistical, and financial.

Modifiable vs. Non-modifiable Determinants of Health

  • Modifiable determinants are changeable through intentional actions, policies, and environmental changes.
  • Non-modifiable determinants include some biological factors that cannot be easily altered in the short term.
  • Public health emphasizes modifiable determinants to reduce chronic disease risk.
  • Top behavioral risk factors for chronic disease in the U.S. (modifiable):
    • Sedentary behavior
    • Poor nutrition
    • Excessive alcohol use
    • Smoking or tobacco use
  • These are key targets for intervention and behavior change efforts.

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Exercise

  • Economic and logistical barriers to physical activity:
    • Affordability of gym memberships or sports programs
    • Transportation to facilities
    • Access to safe spaces for activity
    • Education and awareness about exercise options
    • Work schedules, including shift work, limiting time for activity
  • Other related factors:
    • Housing conditions and neighborhood safety
    • Assets and savings that influence the ability to prioritize health activities
  • Examples of how these barriers manifest:
    • Lack of a gym membership or funds to join a club
    • Unsafe neighborhoods reducing outdoor activity
    • Transportation challenges limiting access to facilities
  • These barriers underscore why policy and environmental changes are important.

Environmental Factors and Policy Making

  • Built environment and policy shape health behaviors:
    • Positive examples: better air quality; access to facilities; widespread sidewalks; parks; safe routes to schools; mass transit access.
    • Negative examples: harsh climates (extreme cold or heat) limiting outdoor activity; pollution; natural disasters disrupting activity and access to resources.
  • Policy levers that promote healthy behaviors:
    • Mandating physical education in schools
    • Parenting classes or nutrition education for families
    • Regular fitness or health screenings (e.g., annual physicals, fitness tests)
    • Recess and play policies in schools
    • helmet and safety laws for bikes and scooters
    • Smoking bans and regulation of secondhand smoke exposure
    • Vaccination programs and public funding for mental health services
  • The pandemic highlighted both barriers and opportunities for physical activity, including access to facilities and the importance of safe environments.
  • The built environment example: Columbia, Maryland, designed to promote healthy communities with interconnected sidewalks and parks; real-world outcomes varied in effectiveness.
  • Negative environmental factors include: cold climates, pollution, unsafe areas, and disasters that constrain activity opportunities.
  • Public health policy aims to create enabling environments and remove barriers to healthy behaviors.

The Behavior Change Project: Structure and Timeline

  • The project has three parts:
    1) Behavior Change Contract (due on the 23rd)
    2) Reflection journals (ongoing)
    3) Final reflection (end of the course)
  • Part 1: Behavior Change Contract
    • Complete the Wellness Survey first to identify current wellness status and pillar relationships.
    • From the wellness survey, select one behavior to focus on for the semester.
    • Choose a behavior you are reasonably confident you can work on; if a score is very low but you’re not ready, it’s okay to choose a different one.
    • Important guidance: choose a behavior, not just an outcome (e.g., not simply saving money, but the behavior of tracking spending and adjusting habits to save).
    • Emphasize realism: consider how your living situation, roommate, social life, and other factors will affect the new behavior.
    • Focus on one behavior for the project to maximize potential for meaningful change; acknowledge possible trickle-down effects but keep attention on a single target.
  • Contract components (as shown in the slides):
    • Brief reflection on overall wellness and how it relates to the pillars of health
    • Identify the behavior change you want to pursue
    • List three personal benefits and relate them to the pillars of health
    • SMART goals (long-term and short-term), resources, barriers, and strategies
    • Identify one primary behavior to focus on (with consideration for potential indirect benefits)
  • Part 2: Reflection Journals
    • Each entry should document goals achieved, barriers faced, and strategies used
    • Include 2–3 additional SMART goals for the next journal entry
    • Journals are intended to keep you on track with your wellness changes
  • Part 3: Final Reflection
    • Reflect on what helped you improve your health and what supported your behavior change journey
  • Watch for ongoing updates and deeper coverage of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Action-related, Realistic, Timely) in class sessions (noted as a later in-depth topic)

SMART Goals: Definition and Application

  • SMART goals are used to create objective, trackable targets:
    • Specific: clearly defined target
    • Measurable: quantifiable or observable
    • Action-related (Achievable): describes concrete actions to take
    • Realistic: attainable given context and resources
    • Timely: has a deadline or timeframe
  • Formal representation (conceptual):
    • $$ ext{SMART}=igl\{S,M,A,R,T\bigr\