Personality, Risk Perceptions, and Health Behaviors: A Two-Wave Study on Reciprocal Relations in Adults.

The aim of the study was to examine reciprocal associations between risk perceptions for cardiovascular disease and health behaviors (i.e., physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption), while accounting for key personality characteristics in middle-aged adults. Participants ( = 297; () age = 51 (6.95); 72.4% female) completed online questionnaires assessing risk perceptions, physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption, and personality (conscientiousness and neuroticism) on two occasions, one week apart. Physical activity did not have a statistically significant effect on risk perception over time ( = -0.00, = 0.227). However, fruit and vegetable consumption ( = -0.19, = 0.006) and neuroticism ( = 0.22, = 0.001) predicted risk perception. Risk perception did not have a significant effect on physical activity ( = -343.86, = 0.147) or fruit/vegetable consumption ( = -0.08, = 0.144) over time; however, neuroticism had significant and negative effects on physical activity ( = -520.84, = 0.029) and fruit/vegetable consumption ( = -0.20, = 0.001). High levels of neuroticism in middle age may hinder engagement in physical activity and consumption of fruit/vegetable behaviors and should therefore be targeted accordingly to increase protective health behaviors and reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease.