Positive Self-perceptions of Aging Promote Healthy Eating Behavior Across the Life Span via Social-Cognitive Processes

Verena Klusmann, Gudrun Sproesser, Julia K Wolff and Britta Renner

The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 2019, vol. 74, issue 5, 735-744

Abstract: Objectives Negative self-perceptions of aging (SPA) have been shown to result in lower levels of preventive behavior, health, and longevity. This study focuses on the understudied SPA effects on healthy eating across the life span. Moreover, it aims to provide longitudinal evidence of the psychological mechanisms behind this relationship. Method We investigated whether SPA (T1) can predict changes in eating behavior (T3) over 1 year in 1,321 participants (T1), aged 18–92 years. The explanatory role of social-cognitive processes (T1, T2) was tested via a two-step mediation analysis with multigroup modeling for different age and education levels. Results Baseline positive SPA predicted more healthy eating at T3 (b = 0.68, SE = 0.24, p = .01), controlling for baseline eating (T1), age, education, gender, BMI, and illnesses. Self-efficacy (T1) and intention to eat healthily (T2) serially mediated this effect, indirect effect: b = 0.04, p = .02, 95% CI (0.02, 0.08). SPA had stronger effects in older and less educated participants. Discussion This study provides important insights into the mechanisms behind positive SPA fueling successful health behavior change dynamics. Fostering more positive SPA through interventions might be especially important for vulnerable groups. Addressing SPA already in younger ages might help establish health-promoting life-span dynamics.

Keywords: Healthy dietary behavior; Images of aging; Intention; Life span; Self-efficacy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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The Journals of Gerontology: Series B is currently edited by Psychological Sciences - S. Duke Han, PhD and Social Sciences - Jessica A Kelley, PhD, FGSA

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