Health behaviors often co-occur and have common determinants at multiple levels (e.g., individual, relational, environmental). Nevertheless, research programs often examine single health behaviors without a systematic attempt to integrate knowledge across behaviors. This paper highlights the significant potential of cross-cutting behavioral research to advance our understanding of the mechanisms and causal factors that shape health behaviors. It also offers suggestions for how researchers could develop more effective interventions. We highlight barriers to such an integrative science along with potential steps that can be taken to address these barriers. With a more nuanced understanding of health behavior, redundancies in research can be minimized, and a stronger evidence base for the development of health behavior interventions can be realized.
KeywordsIntegration, Health behavior, Theory, Interventions INTRODUCTION Many chronic diseases in the U.S., including several cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, share a common set of behavioral determinants such as tobacco use, excessive use of alcohol, poor dietary habits, and sedentary behavior [1]. These health behaviors relate to one another in multiple ways. First, the behaviors themselves tend to cluster within individuals; for example, tobacco users are often more likely to consume alcohol [2] and less likely to adhere to medical regimens [3]. Second, health behaviors can be driven by shared mechanisms. For example, sensitivity to certain tastes may affect tobacco (e.g., use of menthol) and food behaviors (e.g., avoidance of spicy foods) [4]. Self-regulation efforts in one behavioral domain contribute to the likelihood of successful self-regulation in other domains [5], and failures to appropriately prioritize long-term health consequences over immediate affective or social benefits can contribute to addictive behaviors and unhealthy food choices (e.g., calorie-rich and low-nutrient foods) [6].