Health Care Profiles and Plans for Change

Physical activity and healthy eating are important markers of a healthy lifestyle.
Regular physical activity and proper dietary choices ensure that one’s risk of lifestyle disease
is lowered. On the other hand, obesity increases one’s risk of diseases such as hypertension,
certain types of cancers, and type 2 diabetes. Through regular physical exercise and proper
dietary choices, one can reduce their body mass index (BMI). Despite the studies that have
indicated the need for individuals to make healthy dietary choices as well as engage in
regular physical exercise, many people have continued to be overweight and obese. The
transtheoretical model and the health belief model can be used in studying lifestyle changes
that relate to proper diet and regular physical exercise. The transtheoretical model is the most
effective model in predicting behavior change as well as reinforcing positive lifestyle
choices.

Section 1

Jane’s height is 5’6’’ while she weighs 205 pounds. Her body mass index is 33.1,
which means that she is obese. Jane’s ideal weight ranges from 115 to 154 pounds. To
achieve a healthy weight, Jane needs to lose weight. Weight loss can only be achieved
through a change in her lifestyle. She needs to exercise for more than sixty minutes a day.
Moderate physical activity for more than 60 minutes a day will help her stay fit while at the
same time, ensure that she achieves the ideal weight. In addition, she needs to ensure that she
eats a healthy diet and stays within the 1800 calories a day range. She needs to make
adjustments that will ensure that she achieves the goals set.
Section Two

Transtheoretical Model

HEALTH CARE PROFILES AND PLANS FOR CHANGE 3

DECISIONAL BALANCE
CAUSING INDIVIDUAL TO
REMAIN IN THIS STAGE

POTENTIAL CHANGE
STRATEGIES

Precontemplation (no
intention of taking action
within the next six
months)

Pros: Jane may be gathering
information on the needed changes
to achieve an ideal weight
Cons: She is not exercising and also
not eating right, which leaves her
vulnerable to diseases such as
diabetes.
Tipping the balance to move to the
next stage: Jane needs to be
reminded to achieve a healthy
weight.

How can we raise awareness of risk
and need for change (nutrition and
physical activity choices) based on
risks and benefits?
Awareness can be raised through
advertisements and magazines that Jane
has access to. Her healthcare provider
should also talk to Jane and inform her
of the risks of being obese.

Contemplation (intends to
take action within the next
six months)

Pros: Jane has begun seeing the need
to eat a healthy diet and engage in
more physical activity.
Cons: Jane has still not made any
steps towards achieving a healthy
weight. She is still not exercising
enough and is still eating an
unhealthy diet.
Tipping the balance to move to the
next stage: Brainstorming together
with Jane to ensure that she develops
a plan that works for her.

How can we motivate and encourage
plans to change (nutrition and physical
activity):
Using real-life examples of people that
have changed can help her stay
motivated and encouraged to make the
necessary changes. The use of visual
aids to show how changing may help
her achieve a healthy lifestyle can
greatly help in ensuring that she is
motivated to change. Jane needs to see
the advantages of changing as well as
the disadvantages of not changing.

Preparation (intends to
take action within the next
month and has taken
behavioral steps towards
change)

Pros: Jane has the necessary
information on the importance of
proper nutrition as well as on the
importance of maintaining a healthy
weight.
Cons: She is yet to take any steps
towards achieving a lifestyle change.
She remains vulnerable to lifestyle
diseases associated with obesity.
Tipping the balance to move to the
next stage: Validating the need to
make a lifestyle change.

How can we assist the individual in
developing and implementing plans
and goals to move towards a healthier
weight with nutrition and physical
activity choices?
Ensure that Jane gets the relevant
support. Ensure that she is given more
information on the need to change as
well as ensure that she develops a
workable plan. She should also be
given enough information on how to
create time for exercise as well as how
to cook healthy food.

Action (has changed
behavior for less than six
months)

Pros: Jane has started exercising and
has started eating healthy. She had
begun exercising on a regular basis
and is keeping below the 1800
calorie limit.

What type of feedback, support, or help
with problem solving can be provided
to reinforce the change (nutrition and
physical activity choices)?
Jane needs to be in a support group that

HEALTH CARE PROFILES AND PLANS FOR CHANGE 4

Cons: Jane may stop working out
and may continue eating an
unhealthy diet.
Tipping the balance to move to the
next stage: Jane needs to be
motivated to keep on working out
and making the right dietary choices.

will ensure that she continues working
out and eating healthy. Jane also needs
to be informed on the possibility of
relapse, as well as the need to ensure
that she does not relapse.

Maintenance (has changed
behavior for more than six
months)

Pros: Jane is sticking to the dietary
recommendations and has increased
the duration of physical exercise.
She has begun losing weight and
may have achieved a healthy weight.
Cons: She is at great risk of
relapsing, and relapse may erode the
gains she has made.
Tipping the balance to move to the
next stage: Jane needs to be
encouraged to continue working out
and eating healthy.

How can we assist with coping,
reminders, and maintenance of change
(nutrition and physical activity
choices)?
Jane’s support group will ensure that
she remains active and continues eating
healthy. Positive motivation from the
support group will help in the
prevention of a relapse.

Health Belief Model
CONCEPT POTENTIAL CHANGE STRATEGIES
Perceived susceptibility
(beliefs about the
chances of acquiring an
illness of condition)

Who is at risk of overweight or obesity – how can individual risk be
determined? Every individual is at risk of being overweight or obese.
The individual risk can be defined through the calculation of one’s
body mass index (BMI).

Perceived severity
(beliefs about the
seriousness and
consequences of an
illness or condition)

What are the consequences of developing overweight or obesity?
Being obese or overweight puts one at risk of developing various
lifestyle diseases. The diseases include high blood pressure, cancer,
type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and sleep apnea.

Perceived benefits
(beliefs about the
effectiveness of taking
action to reduce risk or
severity)

How can the individual take action (how, where, when) and what
benefits will be achieved in utilizing recommended strategies to move
towards a healthier weight?
Jane can take the necessary actions through regular physical activity
and proper diet. By exercising for more than sixty minutes daily, she
will achieve the desired level of fitness while at the same time, ensure
that she loses weight and achieves the ideal weight. Benefits of
exercising and eating healthy include a reduction in the risk of heart
disease, ideal blood sugar and insulin levels, stronger bones and

HEALTH CARE PROFILES AND PLANS FOR CHANGE 5
muscles, and improvement in mental health and mood, and an increase
in life expectancy through a reduction in the risk of premature death.

Perceived barriers
(beliefs about the actual
and psychological costs
of taking action)

What methods can reassure, inform, and assist individuals to take
action in utilizing recommended strategies to move towards a healthier
weight?
Jane should be encouraged and informed about the need to change her
current lifestyle. A support group would help assist her in making the
correct lifestyle choice. Lak of enough time to exercise owing to a busy
schedule is one of the barriers to exercising. The barrier can be
overcome through the creation of a flexible schedule that takes into
consideration the need for exercising.

Cues to action (factors
that activate readiness to
change)

What methods can promote awareness in the community or individual
and support decisions to take action in utilizing recommended
strategies to move towards a healthier weight?
The use of advertisements that promote healthy living can help raise
awareness. After being exposed to the information on healthy living,
Jane can reflect and adopt the relevant changes required. The healthy
hobbits need to be reinforced through the use of a support group.

Self-efficacy (factors
affecting confidence in
the ability to take action)

How can the individual be encouraged and assisted to utilize
recommended strategies to move towards a healthier weight?
Jane need to be involved in the decision-making process. Jane needs to
identify the unhealthy eating habits that have contributed to obesity.
She also needs to create a list of the steps she can take to achieve the
ideal weight and the ideal level of fitness. She needs to reflect and
create a plan that incorporates shunning away from unhealthy habits as
well as embracing healthy habits. She needs to come up with goals that
are both measurable and achievable. She then needs to start working on
meeting the goals using the plan created.

Comparison
More effective model Reason
Transtheoretical Model The transtheoretical model is more detailed and ensures

that Jane progresses through all stages. The
transtheoretical model offers practical solutions that can
help Jane adopt a lifestyle change.

HEALTH CARE PROFILES AND PLANS FOR CHANGE 6

Conclusion

Overall, both the transtheoretical model and the health belief model offer insights into
behavior change. The health belief model analyzes the barriers as well as the cues that can
help an individual adopt a lifestyle change. On the other hand, the health belief model
analyzes the stages of behavioral change. The transtheoretical model offers more advantages
when used to predict behavior change in individuals who are attempting to lose weight by
living healthy. In the case study, Jane’s lifestyle change involves eating below 1800 calories a
day and increasing the time that she spends exercising. Using the transtheoretical model, Jane
can get the necessary help that she needs in order to lose weight and live a healthier life.