Understanding Vocational Students’ Motivation for Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors

Abstract

Unhealthy eating behaviors and low levels of physical activity are major problems in adolescents and young adults in vocational education. To develop effective intervention programs, more research is needed to understand how different types of motivation contribute to health behaviors. In the present study, Self-Determination Theory is used to examine how motivation contributes to dietary and physical activity behaviors in vocational students. This cross-sectional study included 809 students (mean age 17.8 ± 1.9 years) attending vocational education in the Netherlands. Linear multilevel regression analyses were used to investigate the association between types of motivation and dietary and physical activity behaviors. Amotivation was negatively associated with breakfast frequency and positively associated with diet soda consumption and high-calorie between-meal snacks. A positive association was found between autonomous motivation and water intake, breakfast frequency, fruit intake, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Autonomous motivation was negatively associated with the consumption of unhealthy products. Controlled motivation was not associated with physical activity or dietary behaviors. Different types of motivation seem to explain either healthy or unhealthy dietary behaviors in vocational students. Autonomous motivation, in particular, was shown to be associated with healthy behaviors and could therefore be a valuable intervention target.

Motivational Climate, Anxiety and Physical Self-Concept in Trainee Physical Education Teachers—An Explanatory Model Regarding Physical Activity Practice Time

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Feasibility of a Social Network-Based Physical Activity Intervention Targeting Vocational School Students: A Pilot Study

“…This became evident by the high non-use rates of the study materials, such as accelerometers, activity diaries, and Facebook and led to the assumption that the target group needs a very structured regimen in a supportive environment to adopt behavioral changes in PA. A pilot study from Finland indicated higher engagement and acceptability of an environmental approach to promote PA in the school setting, but, similar to our results, reported that their optional website was barely used by the target group [ 28 ]. However, this is contrasted by the findings of Kuipers and colleagues [ 29 ], who reported that autonomous motivation is associated with increased MVPA in vocational school students and sustainability in behavior changes. They call for interventions that foster competence paired with autonomy, conducive to self-beliefs in individual success and confirm that peer relations are supportive for autonomous motivation.…”

Research trends of exercise therapy of college students in depression from 2002 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis

“…Diet and obesity can directly influence emotions, and stress-related mental disorders may lead to changes in dietary habits. Unhealthy eating patterns can result in low levels of physical activity, which often have negative impacts on students' mental health (Bremner et al, 2020;Kuipers et al, 2021). Additionally, Sanna et al (2021) study suggests that olfactory identification impairment, decreased attention, and language decline are associated with an increase in depression severity.…”