Researchers studied 450 Hispanic/Latinx and Somali immigrants in Minnesota to understand how confidence affects healthy choices. They found that people who felt confident about eating well and exercising were actually more likely to do those things. This suggests that building people’s confidence—not just telling them what to do—might be a better way to help immigrant communities stay healthy and avoid weight gain and heart disease. The study shows that the same confidence-building approach that works for other groups can work for immigrant communities too.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Does feeling confident about eating healthy and exercising actually help people do those things? Researchers looked at this question in immigrant communities.
  • Who participated: 450 adults (average age 45, about 60% women) from Hispanic/Latinx and Somali backgrounds living in southeastern Minnesota. They were part of a health program designed to help with weight management and heart health.
  • Key finding: People who felt confident about eating well were much more likely to eat healthy snacks and drink fewer sugary drinks. People confident about exercise were much more likely to actually exercise. These connections were strong and statistically significant (p < 0.01 to p < 0.0001).
  • What it means for you: If you’re trying to eat better or exercise more, building your confidence might be just as important as knowing what to do. This approach appears to work well for immigrant communities, suggesting health programs should focus on helping people believe in themselves, not just giving instructions.

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which means researchers looked at a group of people at one point in time and measured their confidence levels and health behaviors all at once. The 450 participants completed surveys about how confident they felt about eating healthy and being physically active. They also reported what they actually ate and how much they exercised. Researchers measured their weight and other health markers too.

The study included materials in three languages—English, Spanish, and Somali—to make sure everyone could participate comfortably. This is important because it means the researchers were genuinely trying to understand these specific communities, not just applying findings from other groups.

The researchers looked for connections between confidence levels and actual behaviors. For example, did people who said they felt confident about eating well actually eat better? This type of analysis helps show whether confidence and behavior go together.

This research matters because most studies about confidence and health have been done with young, white American adults. We didn’t know if the same patterns would hold true for immigrant communities, who may face different challenges and have different cultural backgrounds. By studying Hispanic/Latinx and Somali immigrants specifically, researchers could see if confidence-building approaches would actually work for these groups.

The study has several strengths: a reasonably large sample size (450 people), measurements in multiple languages, and clear statistical relationships. However, because this is a cross-sectional study (snapshot in time), we can’t prove that confidence causes better health behaviors—only that they go together. The study also relied on people reporting their own eating and exercise habits, which can be less accurate than direct observation. The findings are from one region (Minnesota), so they may not apply everywhere.

What the Results Show

People who felt confident about eating healthy were significantly more likely to eat healthy snacks. The connection was very strong (p < 0.0001, meaning there’s less than a 1 in 10,000 chance this happened by accident). These confident eaters also drank fewer high-calorie drinks and less regular soda.

People who felt confident about being physically active were significantly more likely to actually exercise regularly (p < 0.01, meaning less than a 1 in 100 chance this happened by accident). The researchers found these patterns held true for both the Hispanic/Latinx participants and the Somali participants.

The strength of these connections suggests that confidence isn’t just a nice-to-have—it appears to be genuinely connected to whether people actually make healthy choices. This supports what psychologists call ‘self-efficacy theory,’ which says that believing you can do something makes you more likely to actually do it.

The study also measured quality of life and other health markers, though the abstract doesn’t detail all these results. The fact that the researchers could measure and apply confidence theory in immigrant communities suggests this approach could be useful for designing future health programs. The study showed that the same theoretical framework that works in other populations can be adapted and used effectively with immigrant groups.

Previous research on confidence and health has mostly been done with young, white American adults. This study extends that research to immigrant communities, showing that the basic principle—that confidence connects to behavior—appears to work across different cultural groups. This is important because it suggests health programs don’t need to be completely different for immigrant communities; they may just need to be adapted and delivered in appropriate languages and cultural contexts.

The biggest limitation is that this study only shows that confidence and healthy behaviors go together—it doesn’t prove that confidence causes the behaviors. People who eat well might feel more confident, or both might be caused by something else entirely. The study relied on people’s own reports of what they eat and how much they exercise, which can be inaccurate. The study was done in one region of Minnesota, so results might be different in other places. Finally, this was a snapshot in time, so we don’t know if these patterns stay the same over months or years.

The Bottom Line

If you’re part of a Hispanic/Latinx or Somali immigrant community trying to improve your health, focus on building your confidence about healthy eating and exercise, not just learning what to do. Health programs should include confidence-building activities alongside practical information. For healthcare providers and program designers: consider using confidence-building approaches when working with immigrant communities, as this research suggests they can be effective. Confidence level: Moderate—this is good evidence, but more research over time would strengthen these findings.

This research is most relevant to Hispanic/Latinx and Somali immigrants in the United States, though the principles may apply more broadly. Healthcare providers, community health workers, and program designers working with immigrant communities should pay attention. People trying to lose weight or reduce heart disease risk may benefit from confidence-building approaches. This may be less relevant to people who already feel very confident about their health habits.

Building confidence is usually a gradual process. You might notice small changes in your eating or exercise habits within a few weeks of working on your confidence. More significant changes in weight or health markers typically take 3-6 months. This isn’t a quick fix—it’s about developing lasting confidence in your ability to make healthy choices.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your confidence level (1-10 scale) for healthy eating and physical activity weekly, alongside tracking actual behaviors like servings of vegetables eaten, sugary drinks consumed, and minutes of exercise. Look for patterns between your confidence scores and your actual behaviors over time.
  • Use the app to set small, achievable goals for building confidence first. For example: ‘This week, I’ll feel confident about choosing water instead of soda’ or ‘I’ll feel confident about taking a 10-minute walk.’ Start with confidence-building, then track whether your actual behaviors follow.
  • Create a weekly confidence check-in where you rate how confident you feel about healthy eating and exercise. Compare these confidence ratings to your actual behavior logs over 4-8 weeks to see if your confidence is growing and if your behaviors are improving alongside it. Use this data to identify which confidence-building strategies work best for you.

This research shows that confidence is connected to healthy behaviors in immigrant communities, but it does not prove that building confidence alone will cause weight loss or prevent heart disease. This study was conducted at one point in time and cannot prove cause-and-effect relationships. Results are based on people’s self-reports of their eating and exercise, which may not be completely accurate. Before making major changes to your diet or exercise routine, especially if you have existing health conditions, consult with your healthcare provider. This research should not replace medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.