WISE INTERVENTIONS

Adults received information about the role fruit and vegetables play in a healthy diet. Those in the “mental-contrasting + implementation intentions” group also were asked to write down “(a) their most important wish regarding their diet that should be both challenging and feasible (e.g., ‘eating more fruits and vegetables’); (b) the most positive outcome of realizing their wish (e.g., ‘greater wellbeing’) and events and experiences they associated with this positive outcome; (c) the most critical obstacle (e.g., ‘no fruits at work’) together with events and experiences they associated with this obstacle; and (d) formed three implementation intentions with the following questions: (1) ‘When and where does the obstacle occur, and what can I do to overcome or circumvent the obstacle?’; (2) ‘When and where is an opportunity to prevent the obstacle from occurring, and what can I do to prevent it from occurring?’; and (3) ‘When and where is a good opportunity for me to act in a goal-directed way, and what would the goal-directed action be?’ Both groups reported greater consumption of fruit and vegetables through four months later but only people in the mental-contrasting + implementation intentions group showed sustained higher intake two years later.