Approach- vs. avoidance-oriented communication about healthy eating in mobile phone chat groups

Abstract

Background: Healthy eating comprises approach-oriented behaviours such as increasing fruits and vegetables (F&V) consumption, and avoidance-oriented behaviours such as eating fewer unhealthy snacks. Moreover, the use of m-health applications with group chat features to deliver health behaviour interventions is increasing. Our study investigated if the goal to increase F&V vs. the goal to reduce unhealthy snacking is related to more approach- or avoidance-orientated group communication respectively. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to a F&V (n=50) or a snack reduction (n=37) condition and participated in mobile phone chat groups to communicate about their eating behaviour for seven days. Qualitative analysis involved categorizing group communication deductively into approach- or avoidance-related communication and inductively to describe the data comprehensively. Findings: In both conditions approach- and avoidance-oriented communication appeared. As expected, there was more approach-oriented group communication in the F&V and more avoidance-oriented group communication in the snack condition. Discussion: People talked differently about their eating behaviour depending on the respective behavioural goal orientation. Future studies should analyse how these differences in communication may influence health behaviour change.