The CSIRO has launched a new tool designed to help Australians ditch unhealthy eating habits and lose weight instead.
The free, online Healthy Habits Quiz is based on psychology and behavioural science and 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% eating to lift their mood compared to 16% 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,” she 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%, closely followed by cheese at 61%, and bread rolls at 52%.
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.”
In other news, the CSIRO has also launched another online tool to provide evidence-based, accessible information to inform policy and action to reduce the impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on human, animal and environmental health.
AMR Action and Insights was developed as part of their Minimising AMR initiative that was co-created with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and the Department of Health and Aged Care.
Professor Branwen Morgan, Lead of Minimising Antimicrobial Resistance at CSIRO, said the site aimed to deliver evidence-based and engaging content to inform action on AMR in the public and private sector.
“Fragmented knowledge and misconceptions about AMR are major issues hindering effective action. The new website aims to bridge these gaps and foster a more unified understanding of AMR,” Professor Morgan said.
“Information is often siloed within different sectors, leading many people to believe that AMR doesn’t affect them or that they can’t do anything about it. They might think it’s not relevant because they don’t take antimicrobials, or they mistakenly believe there are new drugs in the pipeline that will solve the problem.
“This project seeks to break down these silos by showcasing perspectives from all sectors. We have taken a One Health approach, which recognises the interconnection between people, animals, and the environment.”
The site includes articles that consider the role of biosecurity and other risk-mitigation tools such as artificial intelligence in addressing AMR, and how the environment is often overlooked in conversations about the emergence and spread of AMR.