If you believe in luck as opposed to feeling you can take control of your own life, your odds of staying healthy are lower than they should be. That's what researchers at the University of Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Researchfound when they analyzed data on the diet, exercise, and personality types of more than 7000 people.
According to a release from the institute, the researchers discovered that those who believe their life can be changed by their own actions ate healthier food, exercised more, smoked less, and avoided binge drinking. Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark, the director of the institute, said those who have a greater faith in "luck" or "fate" are more likely to live an unhealthy life. "Our research shows a direct link between the type of personality a person has and a healthy lifestyle,“ she said. “The main policy response to the obesity epidemic has been the provision of better information, but information alone is insufficient to change people’s eating habits.”
She added that understanding the psychological underpinning of a person’s eating patterns and exercise habits "is central to understanding obesity.” The study also found that men and women hold different views on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Men want physical results from their healthy choices while women are more interested in the pleasure that can come from leading a healthy lifestyle.
