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Do implementation intentions help to eat a healthy diet? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the empirical evidence
Open accessAbstract
Objective This systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether implementation intentions are an effective tool to help people put their intentions to eat a healthy diet into practice. Additionally, it was investigated whether the quality of the outcome measures and the quality of the control conditions that are used in these studies influence implementation intentions' effectiveness.Methods Twenty three empirical studies investigating the effect of implementation intentions on eating behavior were included. In assessing the empirical evidence, a distinction was made between studies that aim to increase healthy eating (i.e., eating more fruits) and studies that aim to diminish unhealthy eating (i.e., eating fewer unhealthy snacks).Results Implementation intentions are an effective tool for promoting the inclusion of healthy food items in one's diet (Cohen's d=.51), but results for diminishing unhealthy eating patterns are less strong (Cohen's d=.29). For studies aiming to increase healthy eating, it was found that higher quality outcome measures and lower quality control conditions tended to yield stronger effects.Conclusion Implementation intentions are somewhat more effective in promoting healthy eating than in diminishing unhealthy eating, although for some studies promoting healthy eating effect sizes may have been inflated due to less than optimal control conditions.
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“Meta‐analyses across various goal domains and demographics have consistently shown a positive effect of implementation intentions on goal achievement (Adriaanse et al., 2011; Bélanger‐Gravel et al., 2013; Chen et al., 2015; Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006; Malaguti et al., 2020; McWilliams et al., 2019; Silva et al., 2018; Toli et al., 2016).”
From The effectiveness of implementation intentions in children: A systematic review and meta‐analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Adriaanse et al., 2011
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“Adriaanse et al. (2011) found implementation intention interventions to have a moderate effect size for promoting the inclusion of healthy food items in one's diet (Cohen's d = 0.51) and smaller effects for diminishing unhealthy eating patterns (Cohen's d = 0.29).”
From A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions on Goal Attainment (2021) · cites this paper as Adriaanse et al. (2011)
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“Decreasing risky behavior may be harder to achieve than increasing health-promoting behavior (Adriaanse et al. 2011).”
From A meta-analysis of serious digital games for healthy lifestyle promotion (2014) · cites this paper as Adriaanse et al. 2011
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Metadata
- Authors
- Adriaanse, M. A., Vinkers, C. D. W., De Ridder, D. T. D., Hox, J. J., & De Wit, J. B. F.
- Affiliations
- Utrecht University (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Adriaanse, Marieke A.
- Venue
- Appetite
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2011-02
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 183-193
- ISSN
- 0195-6663 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2124879460
- Cited by
- 455
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 89 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 43 · 2016: 38 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 1.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Appetite (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Social Sciences › Communication › Media Influence and Health
- Keywords
- implementation intentions, healthy eating, dietary habits, fruit consumption, unhealthy snacks, effect size inflation
- MeSH terms
- Diet, Feeding Behavior, Goals, Health Promotion, Humans, Research Design, Health Behavior, Intention
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