A socio-ecological lens to segmenting adult's eating behaviour

Background: The increasing levels of overweight and obesity are negatively impacting the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities. Whilst individual factors are important, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is partly caused by several social and environmental factors that can potentially be modified. A limited number of studies apply a broader theoretical lens to expand the focus beyond individual factors targeted for change. Furthermore, many interventions take a one-size-fits-all approach, which overlooks the differences between subgroups of the population, such as gender, which has a significant impact on eating habits. Aim: This study aims to identify avenues to increase healthy eating by accommodating a wider theory-based socio-ecological viewpoint for change. Additionally, the theory-based socio-ecological lens was applied to identify if segments can be revealed, enabling tailored strategies to be developed to better meet the needs of segments. Methods: A male-dominated sample of n = 3044 Australians was sourced through CINT an online consumer panel provider. Participation was anonymous and voluntary, and consent to participate was indicated by the completion of the survey. Results: Three segments were identified with Socio-Economic Index For Individuals, being the most influential variable differentiating the segments. The most socio-economically advantaged segment (M = 3.7, SD = 0.7) had the highest diet quality score (79.7) while the least advantaged (M = 0.3, SD = 1.4) scored the lowest (67.1). Conclusion: This study confirms the suitability and usefulness of theory-driven segmentation in the development of eating behaviour programs for Australian adults. More effective interventions are required given overweight and obesity levels among this population are increasing.