Sustainable nutritional behavior change (SNBC) model: How personal nutritional decisions bring about sustainable change in nutritional behavior

BACKGROUND: The aim of this qualitative study was to identify a practice level model that could explain a sustained change in nutritional behavior. METHODS: The study used three data inputs from four interviewees, one merged input from a married couple, as narrative interviews. The interviews were analyzed using grounded theory. RESULTS: Coexistence of a certain suffering and a triggering episode lead to the decision to change nutritional life-style by all interviewed. Maintenance of the self-determined newly learned nutritional behavior was supported by subject-related intrinsic motivation, the ability to reflect, and a low expectation of success from the behavioral change. Environment-related factors were identified as support from life-partner and peers. Subjects reported that the sustained nutritional behavior change impacted their holistic health through subject-perceived improved life quality, increase in the number of social contacts, and a change in personal attitudes and perception. The analysis remains limited, and at best hypothesis generating, in that only three data inputs from four interviewees were used. CONCLUSION: In this hypothesis-generating narrative interview study of four study subjects, volition, personal decision making, and long-term motivation (though not external determination) seemed to sustain a change in newly learned nutritional behavior.