You’ve probably been there before: You read an article about healthy eating, watch a motivational video about exercise, or learn about the benefits of getting enough sleep. Armed with this new knowledge, you feel motivated to change your health habits—only to find yourself slipping back into old routines just a few days later. It’s frustrating because you know what you need to do, but actually doing it is a different story.
The truth is, knowing what’s good for you doesn’t always translate to action. If it did, we’d all be eating perfectly balanced diets, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest every night. But, as most of us can attest, life isn’t that simple.
So, if knowledge alone isn’t enough, what actually gets people to change their health behaviours?
A recent review in Nature Reviews Psychology explored this very question, digging deep into the strategies that truly make a difference.
What Drives Behaviour Change?
To understand what really works, researchers have often looked at different methods to encourage behaviour change—whether it’s eating better, exercising more, or even something like reducing energy consumption. Most studies compare these strategies to doing nothing at all, which gives us a sense of whether they have any effect. However, few studies have ranked these strategies against each other to see which ones are the most effective.
That’s exactly what this new study set out to do. It looked at strategies on two levels:
Individual Level: This focuses on what you can do on your own, like gaining knowledge or developing specific skills to change your behaviour.
Societal Level: This looks at how your environment and community play a role, including public policies, education campaigns, and how your surroundings might influence your actions.
Importantly, the study didn’t just focus on fitness and nutrition but also on a range of behaviours, from getting vaccinated to using less electricity.
What the Study Found
The research uncovered some interesting insights about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to changing behaviour.
Individual-Level Strategies:
Habits: Creating and practising strategies for specific situations—like emotional eating—had a medium effect on behaviour change.
Behavioural Skills: Learning new skills, such as cooking to reduce reliance on processed foods, had a small effect.
Emotions: Appealing to someone’s feelings, like their concerns about future health, had a small impact.
Behavioural Attitudes: Exploring the underlying beliefs about certain behaviours, like why you might resist eating more vegetables, had a small effect as well.
Societal-Level Strategies:
Access: Providing free access to things like gyms or affordable fresh food had a large effect. When healthy options are easy to access, people are more likely to choose them.
Descriptive Norms: Comparing your habits to those of others or following social norms had a medium effect on health behaviours.
Material Incentives: Offering rewards, like getting paid to get vaccinated or complete a workout programme, had a medium effect on health-related changes.
Social Support: Being part of a group that supports each other’s health goals, like a running club, had a medium effect in general, but only a small effect for health-specific changes.
Monitors and Reminders: Using tools like a fitness tracker or sticky notes as reminders had a small effect.
Interestingly, some strategies had little to no impact on behaviour change:
Knowledge: Simply knowing the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods didn’t lead to significant change.
General Skills: Learning skills that aren’t directly tied to the behaviour, like focus training for better driving, had little impact.
General Attitudes: Media campaigns promoting certain behaviours, like walking more, didn’t make much of a difference.
Beliefs: Challenging assumptions, like the idea that running is the best exercise, wasn’t effective.
Trustworthiness: Even when the advice came from a trusted source, it didn’t significantly influence behaviour.
Legal and Administrative Sanctions: Mandating behaviours, like requiring vaccinations, didn’t result in meaningful change.
Health Habits: What Does This Mean for You?
So, how can you apply these findings to your own life? Here are two key takeaways:
1. Make Healthy Choices Accessible
One of the most effective ways to change your behaviour is to make the healthy choice the easy choice. This might mean keeping healthy snacks at eye level in your pantry, setting out your workout clothes the night before, or choosing a gym that’s on your way to work. The easier it is to access the behaviour you want to adopt, the more likely you are to stick with it.
But accessibility isn’t just about convenience; it’s also about the environment you live in. Some people have better access to fresh foods or safe places to exercise than others. While you might not be able to change your environment overnight, being aware of these factors can help you find creative ways to make healthy choices more accessible to you.
2. Focus on Building Habits, Not Just Gaining Knowledge
While it’s great to learn about healthy eating, exercise, and other beneficial behaviours, knowledge alone isn’t enough to drive lasting change. The key is to turn that knowledge into actionable habits. For example, rather than simply saying ‘work out on Monday,’ create a detailed plan like ‘work out in my living room with my yoga mat on Monday at 7 a.m.’ This level of specificity helps make the habit feel tangible, aiding in mental preparation and commitment.
Establishing routines is also essential. Doing the same activity at the same time and in the same place creates familiarity, making it easier to stick to the habit. Repetition builds mental shortcuts, helping the behaviour become automatic. The goal isn’t to make things complex—simplicity and consistency are what make habits stick. By outlining exactly what you’ll do and when, you’ll be better equipped to follow through and incorporate healthy habits into your daily life.
If you’re curious to learn more about how specificity helps in habit building, check out this article.
The Bottom Line
Changing your health habits is hard, but it’s not impossible. The research shows that making healthy behaviours more accessible and focusing on habit-building are two of the most effective strategies. By understanding what truly drives behaviour change, you can take actionable steps towards living a healthier, more fulfilling life. Remember, it’s not about knowing what to do—it’s about making it happen.
Ready to turn knowledge into action? Start building healthy habits today by making small, accessible changes that stick. Whether it’s planning your meals or setting up a workout routine, you don’t have to do it alone. Book a free consultation with a health coach for personalised guidance on creating habits that support your long-term health and well-being.
References:
What actually helps people change?. Precision Nutrition.
Albarracín D, Fayaz-Farkhad B, Granados Samayoa JA. Determinants of behaviour and their efficacy as targets of behavioural change interventions. Nature Reviews Psychology. 2024 May 3;1–16.
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