Yahoo Lifestyle Why a positive mental attitude can keep you healthy
Mait/Flickr
Are you in charge of your own destiny? Or do you leave that in the hands of fate?
If you're of mindset that you create your own luck you're already in front, according to a new study from the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research.
A study of over 7000 people showed a direct correlation between positive attitude and good health: those who believed their lives can be changed by their own actions ate healthier food, exercised more, smoked less and avoided binge drinking.
Professor Deborah Cobb-Clark, Director of the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, 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.
But information alone is insufficient, she said, because despite the public health policies and quality information available on obesity, there hasn't been a significant and correlating change in people's eating habits. Read: we're still getting fatter.
Instead, we need to focus on the mental aspect of our lifestyles.
"Understanding the psychological underpinning of a person's eating patterns and exercise habits is central to understanding obesity," she said.
And you'd be correct if you'd detected a difference in your partner's take on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
According to the study, men want and value physical results from their healthy choices, while women enjoy the overall benefits that leading a healthy lifestyle brings.
Professor Cobb-Clarke said the research demonstrated the need for more targeted policy responses.
"What works well for women may not work well for men," she said.
"Gender specific policy initiatives which respond to these objectives may be particularly helpful in promoting healthy lifestyles."
Take home message? A 'can do' attitude is the key to a healthy lifestyle.
