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Health messages to promote fruit and vegetable consumption at different stages : A match-mismatch design
Godinho, Cristina Alvarez, Maria-Joao Lima, Maria Schwarzer, Ralf
Godinho, Cristina
Alvarez, Maria-Joao
Lima, Maria
Schwarzer, Ralf
Abstract
Objective: To examine the effectiveness of matching health messages promoting fruit and vegetable intake to the Health Action Process Approach stages of change.
Design: In a randomised controlled trial, 205 undergraduate students (non-intenders n = 123; intenders n = 82) were exposed to one of three health messages, targeted at non-intenders, intenders and controls.
Main outcome measures: Three longitudinal assessments of stage, fruit and vegetable intake, and social-cognitive determinants were obtained.
Results: Stage-specific effects of the interventions were confirmed. For self-efficacy, a stage by health message crossover interaction emerged, with both non-intenders and intenders in the matched conditions scoring higher in self-efficacy. Furthermore, in line with predictions, non-intenders in the matched condition showed higher risk perception, outcome expectancies, intention, and stage progression immediately after message exposure, and lower levels of action planning and coping planning a week later in the mismatched condition, but for these outcomes no differences across conditions were obtained among intenders. Multiple mediation analyses confirmed the facilitating role of self-efficacy and behavioural intention among non-intenders.
Conclusions: Stages should be considered when designing health messages, although more interactive interventions for intenders and extended measurement time frames may be required.
Keywords
fruit and vegetable intake, health message targeting, stages of change, randomised controlled trial, multiple mediation analyses
Date
2015
Type
Journal article
Journal
Psychology and Health
Book
Volume
30
Issue
12
Page Range
1410-1432
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as green open access
License
File Access
Open
Controlled
Controlled