Research paper
Strachan SM, Brawley LR. Healthy-eater identity and self-efficacy predict healthy eating behavior: a prospective view. Journal of Health Psychology. 2009;14(5):684-695. doi:10.1177/1359105309104915. PMID: 19515684.
Why we cite it
The most direct empirical test of whether healthy-eater identity predicts actual eating behavior. Uses a prospective design (identity measured first, eating behavior assessed 2 weeks later) to show that people who see themselves as healthy eaters actually eat healthier — and that this identity effect holds after controlling for nutrition knowledge. Demonstrates that knowing what to eat is not enough; identifying as a healthy eater is what drives behavior. Complements cib04 (Oyserman's IBM theory) with specific eating-domain evidence.