Thinking health-related behaviors in a climate change context: A narrative review

Abstract

Background: Human activities have changed the biosphere so profoundly over the past two centuries that human-induced climate change is now posing serious health-related treats to the current and future generations. Rapid actions from all scientific fields are needed to contribute to both the mitigation and adaption to climate change. Purpose: This article aims to identify bi-directional associations between climate change effects (i.e., rising average temperatures, natural disasters, air pollution, rising sea level) and health-related behaviors, as well as a set of key actions for the behavioral medicine community. Methods: We synthetized the existing literature about (i) the effects of rising average temperature, natural disasters, air pollution, and rising sea level on the food system and eating behaviors, physical activity, sleep, substance use, access to safe water, and preventive behaviors; and (ii) the concurrent positive and negative roles that health-related behaviors can play in mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Results: Based on this literature review, we propose one of the first model of the complex, occasionally bi-directional, associations between climate change and health-related behaviors. Key actions are proposed with particular consideration for health equity (i.e., between and within-countries, at the intergenerational level, as well as between men and women) of future behavioral interventions. Synergies are also proposed between the field of behavioral medicine, the study of complex systems and planetary health science. Conclusions: We contend that climate change is among the most urgent issue facing all scientists, and should become a central priority for the behavioral medicine community.

Will the Farm to Fork strategy be effective in changing food consumption behavior? A health psychology perspective

“…Finally, no matter how quickly GHG emissions are reduced, the global surface temperature has already risen, and this change cannot be reversed (IPCC, 2021). Accordingly, policy makers and intervention developers might already need to think one step ahead: instead of only focusing on implementing actions to promote mitigation behaviors, additional action is required to promote adaptation behaviors including preparative actions such as flood proofing and protective actions such as avoiding overexertion during heatwaves (Bernard, 2019; Chevance et al, 2021; Inauen et al, 2021). Those efforts should be at the heart of policy making and relevant research to adequately prepare humanity for the upcoming challenges of climate change.…”

“…Accordingly, especially in the actions targeting consumers, not only sustainable, but also healthy food consumption is targeted, thus following a One Health approach (World Health Organization, 2017). Indeed, recommendations for a healthy and sustainable diet largely overlap, and there is a call for a better definition of healthy behaviors, which takes into account human and planetary health (Chevance et al, 2021). A plant‐based diet with only small components of animal‐based products has been shown to be most beneficial for human and environmental health (Papier et al, 2021; Willett et al, 2019).…”

What Influences People’s Tradeoff Decisions Between CO2 Emissions and Travel Time? An Experiment With Anchors and Normative Messages

“…However, it is of relevance to point out that the health normative message used in the present study was not directly related to the tradeoff-question. On the other hand, many environmental issues are closely related to health aspects (e.g., eating eco-labeled groceries might both be an act done with the intention to reduce climate change or to eat more nutritious food to become healthier), and Chevance et al (2021) suggest that there are bi-directional associations between health-related behaviors and climate change. Therefore, it is possible that reading a normative message about health might have made people more willing to make travel judgements in a pro-environmental way.…”

Health Psychology and Climate Change: Time to address humanity’s most existential crisis

“…Climate change mitigation measures can have significant health and social co-benefits (Chevance et al, 2021). This includes benefits of adapting travel infrastructure such as reduced air pollution, improved physical and mental health from increased physical activity (Zukowska et al, 2022), and more liveable, more sociable cities that are less dominated by car traffic and hence improve mental health (Hematian & Ranjbar, 2022).…”