Does social support impact exercise and nutrition habits?

Introduction

The impact of social support on exercise and nutrition habits has been a subject of considerable research. Social support, which can come from family, friends, or peers, is believed to influence health behaviors, including diet and physical activity. This synthesis aims to present the key insights from multiple studies on how social support affects these habits.

Key Insights

Positive Influence on Physical Activity and Diet:
- Higher worksite social support is associated with increased physical activity and higher fruit and vegetable intake.
- Parental and peer support significantly increase the likelihood of adolescents engaging in regular moderate and vigorous physical activity.
- Social support from friends and family is linked to better exercise adherence and healthier dietary behaviors in various populations, including those with serious mental illness and coronary artery disease .
Role of Self-Efficacy:
- Social support enhances self-efficacy, which in turn positively influences exercise behaviors. This relationship has been observed in sedentary adults and older adults .
- In patients with coronary artery disease, stronger social support is associated with higher exercise and diet self-efficacy, suggesting that social companions help boost confidence in overcoming lifestyle modification barriers.
Type of Social Support Matters:
- Positive, rather than instructive, social support is more beneficial for maintaining weight loss and improving dietary intake. Maintainers of weight loss reported receiving compliments and active participation, whereas regainers received more verbal instructions and encouragements.
- Emotional, instrumental, and informational support from family and friends are crucial for promoting healthy lifestyles among pregnant and postpartum Latinas.
Buffer Against Negative Influences:
- Social support can mitigate the negative effects of stress and strain on dietary intake, particularly in elderly populations. Companionship serves as a buffer against poor appetite and inadequate diets.
Mixed Outcomes:
- While social support generally shows positive correlations with health behaviors, it can sometimes counteract health behavior change. For example, regainers of weight loss received more support compared to maintainers, indicating that the type and quality of support are critical .

Conclusion

Social support plays a significant role in influencing exercise and nutrition habits. It generally promotes better physical activity and dietary behaviors, primarily through enhancing self-efficacy and providing emotional and practical assistance. However, the type and quality of support are crucial, as positive and active participation is more beneficial than mere verbal encouragement. Social support also helps buffer against negative influences like stress, particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly and those with serious mental illness. Overall, fostering supportive environments can be a key strategy in promoting and maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Does social support impact exercise and nutrition habits?

Summary

Consensus Meter

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

The association between worksite social support, diet, physical activity and body mass index.

Higher worksite social support is associated with increased physical activity and fruit and vegetable intake, but not with obesogenic behaviors.

The role of social support in weight loss maintenance: results from the MedWeight study

Positive social support, rather than instructive, is beneficial in weight loss maintenance, with maintainers showing improved dietary intakes and regainers showing no such effect.

Social support and efficacy cognitions in exercise adherence: A latent growth curve analysis

Social support positively influences exercise adherence in sedentary adults, with self-efficacy acting as a mediator in this relationship.

Perceived social support for diet and exercise among persons with serious mental illness enrolled in a healthy lifestyle intervention.

Regular contact with significant others can provide both positive and negative support for healthy eating and exercise in individuals with serious mental illness.

Weight, Diet, and Physical Activity-Related Beliefs and Practices Among Pregnant and Postpartum Latino Women: The Role of Social Support

Social support from husbands and female relatives is crucial for pregnant and postpartum Latinas to maintain healthy weight, diet, and physical activity practices.

Role of social support in lifestyle-focused weight management interventions

Social support interventions can positively impact weight loss and health, but clear definitions and assessments of perceived support are needed for future research.

Parental and peer social support is associated with healthier physical activity behaviors in adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis of Texas School Physical Activity and Nutrition (TX SPAN) data

Parental and peer social support positively influences adolescents' physical activity behaviors, suggesting that strategies focusing on these supports should be integral to increasing physical activity in middle and high schools.

Social Support, Stressful Events, Strain, Dietary Intake, and the Elderly

High levels of social support in elderly individuals reduce the risk of poor nutritional health and help buffer against the negative effects of stress on diet.

Social support as a predictor of diet and exercise self-efficacy in patients with coronary artery disease

Stronger social support is associated with higher exercise and diet self-efficacy in patients with coronary artery disease, suggesting that social companions can help overcome barriers to lifestyle modification.

The Effect of Social Support on Exercise Behavior in Older Adults

Social support, such as friend support, indirectly influences exercise behavior in older adults by strengthening self-efficacy and outcome expectations related to exercise.

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