Personality, Risk Perceptions, and Health Behaviors: A Two-Wave Study on Reciprocal Relations in Adults

Cecilie Thøgersen-Ntoumani (), Andreas Stenling, Esther Izett and Eleanor Quested
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Cecilie Thøgersen-Ntoumani: Danish Center for Motivation and Behavior Science, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
Andreas Stenling: Department of Psychology, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
Esther Izett: Curtin School of Population Health, EnAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
Eleanor Quested: Curtin School of Population Health, EnAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-13

Abstract: The aim of the study was to examine reciprocal associations between risk perceptions for cardiovascular disease and health behaviors (i.e., physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption), while accounting for key personality characteristics in middle-aged adults. Participants ( N = 297; M ( SD ) age = 51 (6.95); 72.4% female) completed online questionnaires assessing risk perceptions, physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption, and personality (conscientiousness and neuroticism) on two occasions, one week apart. Physical activity did not have a statistically significant effect on risk perception over time ( b = −0.00, p = 0.227). However, fruit and vegetable consumption ( b = −0.19, p = 0.006) and neuroticism ( b = 0.22, p = 0.001) predicted risk perception. Risk perception did not have a significant effect on physical activity ( b = −343.86, p = 0.147) or fruit/vegetable consumption ( b = −0.08, p = 0.144) over time; however, neuroticism had significant and negative effects on physical activity ( b = −520.84, p = 0.029) and fruit/vegetable consumption ( b = −0.20, p = 0.001). High levels of neuroticism in middle age may hinder engagement in physical activity and consumption of fruit/vegetable behaviors and should therefore be targeted accordingly to increase protective health behaviors and reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: physical activity; eating behaviors; illness risk perceptions; personality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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