Tag: health

Meat and manhood: Unpacking resistance to reduced meat consumption

December 26, 2024

Excessive meat consumption is increasingly scrutinised for its impacts on the environment, animal welfare, and public health. Men’s consumption of meat is higher than women’s, driven not just by taste preferences and higher caloric needs, but also social expectations surrounding men’s diets. Public messaging to reduce a behaviour as deeply ingrained as meat eating—a food that humans have consumed for at least 2.5 million years—can expect to face significant resistance. Behavioural public policy may offer unique tools to address this, but has to be careful not to trigger psychological defences.   … More Meat and manhood: Unpacking resistance to reduced meat consumption

Keeping track: Finding the “how it works” for an app on cutting down drinking

July 24, 2024

Giving people agency within a health behaviour change intervention may be both desirable and effective. Smartphone apps make this approach possible for a large part of the population. If this works, however, it is also vital to understand how and why an app is effective. This blog by Larisa Dina (UCL) describes the process evaluation of a recent trial run by UCL researchers evaluating how engagement with an alcohol reduction app, Drink Less, and participants behavioural characteristics underpin its effectiveness. … More Keeping track: Finding the “how it works” for an app on cutting down drinking

Social Contact: A human approach to mental illness stigma

July 21, 2022

Behavioural science has shown the importance of considering social context for policy design. The context of mental illness is often that stigma and norms stand in the way of engagement, treatment and recovery. “It’s OK to not be OK” public information can only go so far in tackling this. Research suggests that direct, intentional social contact between those with and without mental illness should be a focus for further progress in tackling this global challenge to wellbeing. In this blog the authors explain the evidence in favour of “social contact” as a targeted, behavioural approach to breaking the stigma of mental illness … More Social Contact: A human approach to mental illness stigma