Sociodemographic,Cognitive, and Emotional Determinants of Two Health Behaviors during SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak: An Online Study among French-Speaking Belgian Responders during the Spring Lockdown

To contain the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate, health authorities have encouraged the population to enhance protective behaviors such as physical distancing and handwashing. Behavioral sciences emphasize the role of sociocognitive determinants to explain health behaviors, while largely ignoring emotional factors. In a large online study (N > 4000), we investigated the role of sociodemographic, cognitive, emotional, and social factors that can facilitate or hinder handwashing and limitation of social contacts. Data were collected from March 18 until April 19, 2020, which corresponds to the spring lockdown and the first peak of the pandemic in Belgium. Logistic regressions showed that sociodemographic factors (gender, age, level of education) and the dimensions of the Theory of Planned Behavior (intentions, attitudes, perceived behavioral control and subjective norms) had a strong impact on health behaviors, but that emotional factors explained an additional part of the variance. Being more attentive/determined and frightened/anxious, along with scoring higher on health anxiety were related to a higher frequency of handwashing. In contrast, being enthusiastic/happy was related to lower adherence to limiting social contacts. Our results suggest that the type of predictors and the direction of associations depend on the type of health behavior considered. The role of specific emotional factors in addition to more classical predictors is discussed. The study offers new perspectives regarding the factors that are associated with the adherence to behaviors recommended to adopt when faced with a pandemic.     

A daily diary study of internalised weight bias and its psychological,eating and exercise correlates

Objective: The current investigation extends ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and daily diary weight stigma research in internalised weight bias (IWB). This investigation used daily diaries to examine the relationship between IWB, mood, coping, body appreciation, exercise behaviours and eating behaviours. Design: The study sample consisted of individuals who were overweight or obese (85% female) with M_BMI?=?36.0, SD_BMI?=?6.2. Participants completed a daily diary each evening and wore a Fitbit for 30 days. Main Outcome Measures: Participants reported on IWB, mood, coping, body appreciation, exercise behaviours and eating behaviours.

Results: Both within- and between-subjects IWB were significantly related to positive affect, negative affect, several coping responses, body appreciation, eating behaviours and the urge to avoid exercise. Exploratory analyses indicated that positive and negative affect mediated many of the associations between IWB and coping responses, body appreciation, and eating and exercise behaviours.

Conclusion: This investigation provides evidence that IWB experiences have daily impacts on psychological well-being, body appreciation, coping, eating and exercise behaviours. Also, this study raises awareness about IWB and its potential impact on psychological well-being and health behaviours.     

A structural equation model of intuitive eating with adolescents

IntroductionThe tendency to eat by paying attention and respecting the body's hunger and satiety cues is called intuitive eating. This eating behavior has been linked to positive health and well-being outcomes.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to test a global model linking intuitive eating with self-esteem, body esteem, media influence and including fear of negative appearance evaluation in adolescents’ boys and girls.MethodIn total, 740 adolescent high school students (51.5% girls; M age = 14, SD = 1.5) completed self-report questionnaires with measures of intuitive eating, body esteem, self-esteem, media influence and fear of negative appearance evaluation.ResultsStructural equation modeling revealed an overall excellent fit for the final four-variable model excluding the fear of negative appearance evaluation variable. Mediation analyses showed an indirect relationship between intuitive eating and body esteem via media influence, for girls but not for boys. Body esteem mediated the relationship between intuitive eating and self-esteem, for girls and boys.ConclusionA new model is proposed where intuitive eating is associated with self-esteem through body esteem and media influence. These findings suggest that regulating attitudes and behaviors toward food may be related to higher psychological well-being.