3.11. Theme 4: Strategies to Reduce Consumption
SAID
This theme was developed to describe methods and techniques participants employed to reduce their consumption of indulgences. Participants explained how they reduced or could reduce the number of indulgences they consumed. The most frequently reported strategies were avoidance, accessibility, portion control, substitution, and cost/benefit analysis. Others less frequently mentioned included distraction and elimination. Participants reported avoiding indulgences by not visiting an environment where the temptation for an indulgence was more likely. For example:
“We don’t have the snacks in our rooms; we just have trays. The other rooms have a lot of snacks, so I don’t go to the other rooms.” Female, 42 years.As noted above, the accessibility of indulgences affected consumption, but to overcome this, participants tried to make them unavailable or more difficult to access (particularly at home):
“Like, even, like, I don’t buy Magnums by the box and keep them in the fridge. And so, then I have to go to the service station, where they’re three times the price. And so you think about how much it’s going to cost you.” Female, 68 years.Most participants reported reducing the portions they consumed by making small changes so that they consumed an indulgence, but less of it:
“But it’s like you don’t need three big pieces of toast. Just try and have one or one and a half and just try and cut back.” Female, 55 years.Another commonly used strategy was the substitution of indulgences for foods perceived to be healthier or ‘less bad’ items. “I’ve had a banana, like I would have a banana instead of a chocolate, or I had a cup of this fantastic tea I just discovered, instead of the sweet biscuits and a cup of tea at night, with my mum, I’ve even got my mum onto this different tea. And it’s just a herbal tea, so no milk, … but because you’ve had this herbal tea it doesn’t set up the attachment to the biscuits …” Female, 58 years.Participants reported examples where they would weigh up the pros and cons of consuming an indulgence. That is, participants would make their decisions based on objective information regarding the costs and disadvantages of consuming the indulgence in relation to the merits, possibilities, and advantages of consuming the indulgence. This was conducted in relation to physical activity by examining how much physical activity was required in comparison with the energy equivalent of the indulgence:
“I sometimes compare that I drive my bike from my home to here; it is 25 k, it is one hour of pedalling. I just spend 700 calories, and one Tim Tam has 100 calories.” Male, 44 years.Interestingly, one participant went further to explain how they used this strategy in combination with a reward system to help achieve another personal goal:
“Twofold things occurred, this study and also the fact that I’m now saving frantically for a deposit on a house. So, basically, any time I’ve felt like something, in the last week particularly, I’ve just gone, “No, instead of spending that and eating it, oh great I’ve said ‘No’, at the same time I’m moving the money into my savings account. So, I would literally stand in 7-Eleven, holding the bag of chips, or holding whatever I was saying “No” to, putting them back on the shelf and transferring the money straight away. So, I’ve spent the money but it’s just gone somewhere else and not in my mouth.” Female, 58 years. A few participants reported that they decided to eliminate certain foods/drinks from their diet entirely, which meant they reduced their consumption (e.g., alcohol or not consuming butter). Another strategy was to keep busy by focusing on a specific task and avoiding thinking about the consumption of indulgences. 