The role of affective associations in self-regulation of cancer-related dietary behaviors.

A27

Purpose: The likelihood of suffering from several cancers is influenced by individuals' dietary practices (e.g., dietary fat, fruit/vegetable consumption). Given this, understanding how individuals self-regulate their behavioral practices is an important step towards developing effective cancer prevention interventions targeting dietary behaviors. Recent research has demonstrated that the feelings associated with particular health behaviors (e.g., positive affect associated with comfort foods) influence decision making (Kiviniemi, Voss-Humke and Seifert, in press). In this study we investigated how affective associations with specific dietary practices which are related to cancer risk influenced ongoing engagement in the dietary behavior. In addition, we examined whether those factors influencing actual dietary behavior were the same as or distinct from those predicting intentions to change the behavior. Methods: Participants (N=166) were asked questions about four general food categories (e.g., high fat foods; fruits/vegetables) and ten specific food items (e.g., hamburgers, carrots). For each food category/item, participants completed measures of: a) affective associations; b) cognitive beliefs about the utility of engaging in the behavior; c) ongoing engagement in the behavior; and d) plans to change the behavior in the near future. Results: For each behavior, participants' current engagement in the behavior was predicted by their affective associations with the behavior; moreover, the influences of cognitive beliefs about utility on behavioral practices were mediated through affective associations. Individuals associating more positive affect with a behavior were more likely to engage in the behavior. By contrast, intentions to change behavior were predicted by cognitive beliefs about behavior alone; affective associations with the behavioral practices did not influence intentions. Summary: These results indicate that affective associations with cancer-related behaviors play a central role in individuals' decision making about those behaviors. Moreover, they show a disconnect between the factors leading individuals to form intentions to change cancer-related behaviors and those factors that influence ongoing behavioral practices. These results have implications for both understanding the processes involved in health behavior decision making and for interventions designed to change cancer-related behavioral practices.