New Study Reveals That 20% of Brits Who Engage in Negative Health Behaviours are Not Motivated to Change Them; Almost Twice as High as the Global Average
London – Twenty percent of British people claim that they are not motivated to change negative health behaviours, such as poor nutrition, smoking/tobacco use and consuming alcohol or other drugs. This figure is almost twice as high as the global average, as revealed in the Edelman Health Barometer 2011, a study of more than 15,000 people across 12 countries.
Psychologist Donna Dawson thinks this refusal to change is reflective of British culture and indicative of the times that we live in, “In times of constant economic doom-and-gloom, the British personality will plod on, doing the right thing, but his inner rebel will fight back, and hold on to those few things that can still be enjoyed – be it food, drink or cigarettes – even when health professionals call them vices. At such times, we are also more concerned with living in the here-and-now, not carrying out tasks aimed at an uncertain future.”
The study showed that the motivation to make a long-term change is clearly not strong enough. While 66% of UK respondents have attempted a behaviour change, 52% of those who tried to change, admit to failing – a higher rate of failure than that of counterparts in France, Italy and Germany. When asked why they returned to negative heath behaviours, British people cited the following as their top reasons:
• 32% enjoyed the negative behaviour
• 20% blamed addiction/dependency
• 19% didn’t experience the benefits quickly enough
When it comes to making positive behaviour changes, an overwhelming 84% of Brits said they would be motivated to change their health behaviours if a negative behaviour would limit them from doing something that they are used to doing.
“Human Nature is programmed to respond the fastest to positive incentives that involve the immediate self, and to prefer reward over the threat of punishment. We always work out ‘what’s in it for me?’ and then act accordingly; which is why being told that losing weight will make us fitter to enjoy playing with our children or grandchildren in the park (immediate positive), always works better than it helps to prevent illness or an early death (long-term negative). We each need to work out what would personally motivate us to live healthier, and then acknowledge what lifestyle factors either help or hinder us,” said Dawson.
Compared with global results of the study, people in Britain are less likely to distance themselves from individuals who participate in negative health behaviours. The study found that one in five (21%) Brits spend less time with a friend because of poor health behaviours, which is less than the global average of 31%.
“The fact that we don’t abandon individuals who are participating in negative health behaviours can actually provide an opportunity for us to influence the behaviours of friends, family members and colleagues. There is extensive research in the fields of weight loss, smoking cessation and addiction showing that we are far more likely to successfully change behaviours through the intervention and support of those around us,” said Steven Spurr, Group Managing Director at Edelman UK.
This approach was reinforced by the finding that 81% of UK respondents stated that friends and family make a positive impact on their lifestyle as it relates to health.
When seeking support to make changes outside of the realm of our immediate communities, 59% of British people believe the food and beverage industry has a role to play in improving or maintaining the health of the public, 54% cite healthcare professionals and 51% look to the pharmaceutical industry.
“In an increasingly pressurised healthcare system, healthcare professionals cannot be held solely responsible for improving the public’s health. There is a real opportunity for food, beverage and pharmaceutical companies to provide resource and support that will enable the public to undertake meaningful and lasting behaviour change,” said Spurr.
To see the full results of the Edelman Health Barometers, visit: www.edelman.com/healthbarometer
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About the Edelman Health Barometer 2011
The Edelman Health Barometer 2011 global survey was conducted by Edelman’s research firm StrategyOne (www.strategyone.net) and consisted of online and face-to-face interviews. It was conducted from June 10 – July 26, 2011. The survey sampled 15,165 adults 18 years of age and older in 12 countries. Online interviews were conducted in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in Brazil, China, India and Mexico. The study was representative of the total country population in all markets. For more information, visit www.edelman.com/healthbarometer.
For further information contact:
Steven Spurr
steven.spurr@edelman.com
+44 (0)7740 038919
Vanessa Pymble
vanessa.pymble@edelman.com
+44 (0)2030 472 064