Mind the gap: Habit and self-determined motivation predict health behaviours in middle-aged and older adults

Abstract

Objectives: Physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption are two key health behaviours associated with the health and well-being of middle-aged and older adults. The present research investigated how habit and self-determined motivation interact with intention to prospectively predict physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption in middle-aged and older adults. Design: A prospective correlational design (two data collection points) was used. Methods: A convenience sample of 195 adults completed online questionnaires measuring intention, habit, and self-determined motivation. One week later, 177 participants (67.2% female), aged 52–87 years (M = 61.50, SD = 5.90), completed self-report measures of physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption over the previous week. Results: Separate hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. For physical activity, the model explained 46% of the variance in behaviour, F(8, 168) = 17.88, p