New publication: Why do some people find it harder to resist health risks like smoking or sugary drinks than others?
Source: Colourbox
Our new research shows that social and environmental cues — like seeing others smoke or having sugary drinks easily available — don’t affect everyone equally. The key factor? Educational attainment.
In two ecological momentary assessment studies in Germany, we tracked daily behaviors of smokers and SSB (sugar-sweetened beverage) consumers over three weeks.
Key findings were:
1. People with lower educational attainment were more likely to smoke when others around them did.
2. They also consumed more SSBs when these were readily available.
3. In short: social disadvantage makes people more vulnerable to unhealthy cues in daily life.
What can we do about it?
Structural interventions — like reducing exposure to smoking cues or limiting the availability of sugary drinks in certain environments — could make a real difference.
Schüz, B., Wenzel, M., & Jones, C. M. (2025). Momentary health behaviour cues are moderated by educational attainment: Findings from two ecological momentary assessment studies. Social Science & Medicine, 374, 118057. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118057
