Easy or Difficult? Investigating perceived ease of changing eating and physical activity behaviors

Many people aim to eat healthier or become more physically active, yet often fail. Identifying aspects of behavior that are easier to change is crucial for effective interventions. Two preregistered online studies assessed participants' perceived ease of changing eating and physical activity (PA) behavior and explored potential moderators. Young adults predominantly without (Study 1, N = 435, Mage = 31.6) and older adults predominantly with chronic conditions (Study 2, N = 637, Mage = 57.2) indicated the perceived ease of changing 21 aspects of eating and PA, medical history, social comparison, prior behavior change attempts and current behavior. Young adults found increasing consumption and engaging in high-intensity PA easiest, reflecting hedonic goals and high self-efficacy. Conversely, older adults found reducing consumption and sedentary behavior easiest, possibly driven by health motivation and physical limitations. Prior attempts and social comparison showed divergent impacts across groups, possibly influenced by differing learning trajectories and health priorities. Lower unhealthy food consumption correlated with easier reduction, while high PA did not always translate to perceiving further increases in PA easier. Tailored interventions aligning goals with perceived capabilities and priorities are essential to maximize engagement and adherence. Longitudinal research is needed to establish causality and refine strategies.