P04.03
Purpose: Physical activity, weight management, smoking and alcohol consumption are important contributors to the risk of non-communicable diseases. The empirical evidence on the facilitators and barriers of health behavior change and maintenance of changed behaviors can help to better tailor public health interventions to the needs of the population.
Methods: We conducted a systematic review of systematic reviews and compared the determinants of health behavior change between physical activity, weight management, smoking and alcohol consumption, between different population groups, and between uptake and maintenance of behavior change by applying framework analysis.
Results: Out of 59 potential relevant studies we included 21 systematic reviews in our analysis. The comparative analysis found demographic, psychological, and social factors, as well as information and the physical environment relevant for the change of health behaviors and maintenance of changed behaviors. For physical activity and weight control, we developed an ecological model of the determinants based on our findings. Although the effect size of the factors' impact on the respective lifestyle factor remains elusive, the relevance of multiple conditions on health behaviors is evident.
Conclusion: A better understanding of the determinants of both single health behavior change and maintenance, and the interdependent relationship in the changing lifestyle as a whole, might support the reduction of risk behavior prevalence and its effect on non-communicable diseases.
Contact: Harald Walach, walach@europa-uni.de
