Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has launched a new tool designed to help Australians break free from unhealthy eating habits and make it easier to succeed at weight management.
The free, online Healthy Habits Quiz is based on psychology and behavioural science. It assesses participants’ habit strength, moods and tempting foods, providing tailored, science-backed guidance to make and break habits for a healthier lifestyle.
A recent CSIRO analysis of nearly 2,000 Australians revealed mood significantly influences eating behaviours, with three-quarters eating more when bored and over half eating more when feeling depressed.
Positive emotions had the opposite effect, with nearly half of participants eating less when feeling happy. Females were more prone to emotional eating than males, with 24 per cent eating to lift their mood compared to 16 per cent of males.
The analysis also revealed important differences between participants who were successfully managing their weight versus those in earlier stages of the weight loss journey.
Successful dieters were far less likely to use eating as a way of coping with negative emotions, were more aware of their habits, and were more likely to notice when their eating behaviours were getting off track. Conversely, those in the earlier stages of weight loss had stronger eating habits, making them harder to break.
CSIRO Research Scientist Dr Naomi Kakoschke, who led the analysis, said the insights highlight the “chicken and egg” nature of eating behaviours and weight management.
“We know that healthy habits support healthy weight loss, and unhealthy habits typically lead to weight gain,” Dr Kakoschke said.
“By becoming more aware of their habits through the Healthy Habits Quiz, Australians can kickstart a positive change to their habits and their health".
Almost all participants indicated they were tempted by foods that can be a challenge for weight management if consumed too frequently or in large amounts, while over a third agreed or strongly agreed that eating tempting foods was something they did automatically.
Chocolate was revealed as the top tempting food at 72 per cent, closely followed by cheese at 61 per cent, and bread rolls at 52 per cent.
Males were more likely to be tempted by beer and processed meats, while females reported a higher temptation for savoury crackers, cakes and muffins.
The survey participants also shared their top three strategies for making healthy habits stick:
- tracking and monitoring their food intake
- building and seeking support and accountability from social networks
- monitoring their progress
Additionally, positive self-talk and affirmations, and reward and recognition were identified by survey participants as key drivers of healthier habits.
“The data highlights that building healthy habits requires more than just good intentions; it requires support to make small, incremental changes that can be sustained over the longer-term”, Dr Kakoschke said.
“By leveraging a science-backed and structured program like the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet, which offers tools such as meal plans, food trackers, and a community network, Australians can practise healthy habits that lead to a steady progression toward better health."
For more information about the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet and to take the new Healthy Habits Quiz.
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