Awareness of a disconnect between the value assigned to health and the effort devoted to health increases the intention to become more physically active

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackground Intrinsic values and priorities influence decision-making and are, therefore, important to consider explicitly in intervention development. Although health is generally considered an important value, individuals often make unhealthy choices, indicating a values disconnect.Study aim To investigate how becoming aware of a disconnect between the value assigned to health and the effort devoted to health is related to intentions and commitment for behavioural change and physical activity among inactive adults.Methods We performed a secondary exploratory analysis on previously collected data. The intervention included a values exercise based on the Disconnected Values Model (DVM) that made disconnected values explicit to participants in two study arms. We compared participants with a disconnect (n = 138) with participants without a disconnect (n = 101) regarding intentions and commitment for behavioural change and physical activity and sitting time 2–4 weeks follow-up. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to analyse the data.Results Between-group differences were found for the intention to devote more effort to health (OR = 3.75; 95%CI: 2.05; 6.86) and for the intention to become more physically active (OR = 2.21; 95%CI: 1.10; 4.46), indicating that significantly more participants with a disconnect were motivated to change, compared to participants without a disconnect. No between-group differences were found for commitment, intention strength, follow-up physical activity and sitting time.Conclusion Making explicit a disconnect regarding health in an active choice intervention was associated with intentions to become more physically active. Still, it did not translate in significant behaviour change at 2–4 weeks follow-up.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04973813. Retrospectively registered.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04973813..

Keywords

• Physical activity
• active choice
• disconnected values model
• decision making
• web-based intervention