Original article
Self-Control Constructs Related to Measures of Dietary Intake and Physical Activity in Adolescents

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.06.013Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

To test self-regulation concepts in relation to dietary intake and physical activity patterns in adolescence, which we predicted to be influenced by components of a self-control model.

Methods

A survey was conducted with a multiethnic sample of 9th grade public school students in a metropolitan area (N = 539). Confirmatory analysis tested the measurement structure of self-control. Structural equation modeling tested the association of self-control constructs with measures of fruit and vegetable intake, saturated fat intake, physical activity, and sedentary behavior.

Results

Confirmatory analysis of 14 indicators of self-control showed best fit for a two-factor structure, with latent constructs of good self-control (planfulness) and poor self-control (impulsiveness). Good self-control was related to more fruit and vegetable intake, more participation in sports, and less sedentary behavior. Poor self-control was related to more saturated fat intake and less vigorous exercise. These effects were independent of gender, ethnicity, and parental education, which themselves had relations to diet and exercise measures. Multiple-group modeling indicated that effects of self-control were comparable across gender and ethnicity subgroups.

Conclusions

Self-control concepts are relevant for patterns of dietary intake and physical activity among adolescents. Attention to self-control processes may be warranted for prevention programs to improve health behaviors in childhood and adolescence.

Section snippets

Participants

The basic sample of 705 participants was 9th grade students in three public high schools from a community that has census statistics similar to those of the state population. The schools are in a district containing a more urbanized area with surrounding suburban areas. Mean age of the participants was 14.6 years (SD 0.7) and 48% were female. The sample was 20% African American, 4% Asian American, 20% Caucasian, 40% Hispanic, 9% other ethnicity, and 7% mixed ethnicity. Data on family structure

Descriptive analyses

Descriptive statistics are reported for the participants who were included in the subsequent structural modeling analysis; this subsample (N = 539) consisted of persons who were of African-American, Hispanic, or Caucasian ethnicity and had data on at least 60% of the variables included in the analysis. The measures of physical activity had reasonable frequency distributions. For vigorous exercise, 10% of participants indicated none in the past 2 weeks, 19% indicated having vigorous exercise 1–2

Discussion

The aim of this research was to test a theoretical formulation that predicts relations of self-control constructs to health-related behavior. The study was based on a community sample of adolescents and used standardized measures of dietary intake and physical activity. Consistent with previous research [12] the measured indicators of self-control were normally distributed in the adolescent population, and the latent constructs for self-control represented two distinct domains rather than

Acknowledgments

We thank the district superintendent and the principals of the schools for their support, and the participating parents and students for their cooperation. This work was supported by grant R21 CA81646 from the National Cancer Institute (TAW), a Diversity Supplement R01 HL077809-S1 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (CRI), and a Minority Development Fellowship from the American Psychological Association (MGA).

References (40)

  • W.R. Miller et al.

    Self-regulation as a conceptual basis for the prevention of addictive behaviours

  • T.A. Wills et al.

    Behavioral and emotional self-control: Relations to substance use in samples of middle- and high-school students

    Psychol Addict Behav

    (2006)
  • G.H. Brody et al.

    Linking parenting processes and self-regulation to psychological functioning and alcohol use in early adolescence

    J Fam Psychol

    (2001)
  • T.A. Wills et al.

    Ethnic pride and self-control related to protective and risk factors: Test of the theoretical model for the Strong African-American Families Program

    Health Psychol

    (2007)
  • L.D. Cameron et al.

    Self-regulation, health and illness: An overview

  • T.A. Wills et al.

    Temperament and adolescent substance use: A transactional analysis of emerging self-control

    J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol

    (2004)
  • T. Wills et al.

    Temperament and self-control related to early-onset substance use: Test of a developmental model

    Prevention Science

    (2001)
  • A. Bandura

    Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control

    (1997)
  • E.S. Anderson et al.

    Social-cognitive determinants of physical activity among participants in a church-based health promotion study

    Health Psychol

    (2006)
  • R. Larson et al.

    How children and adolescents spend time

    Psychol Bull

    (1999)

    • Cited by (0)

    View full text
    Copyright © 2007 Society for Adolescent Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.