Despite the well-known Lewin’s Maxim—“there is nothing as practical as a good theory” (McCain, 2016)—many health researchers still struggle to understand or appreciate the utility of theory. I recall mentoring early-stage investigators who quipped that the only use for theory was to impress grant application reviewers, failing to grasp how theory could actually improve their research.
Put simply, theories are systematic ways of understanding complex phenomena. Health behavior theories (HBTs) describe interrelationships among concepts that explain or predict human behavior and behavior change (Simoni et al., 2018; Riley et al., 2011).
Why Health Behavior Theories Matter
HBTs provide a roadmap for designing interventions that are grounded in the science of behavior change and maintenance. They point to constructs that may moderate or mediate an intervention’s effect on health outcomes. Understanding who benefits from intervention strategies—and who does not—and the precise mechanisms through which they are operating can help us design implementation strategies that ensure effectiveness for everyone. Additionally, employing common theories contributes to a shared language that helps us synthesize research findings and refine theories.
NIH Advances Health Behavior Theories
OBSSR and the broader behavioral and social sciences research community at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been advancing HBTs for more than two decades. In 2002, the National Cancer Institute hosted a workshop on HBTs. Between 2004 and 2012, a series of Advanced Training Institutes on HBTs offered intensive training to health behavior researchers. In June 2022, OBSSR hosted a closed expert panel workshop to explore opportunities for advancing HBTs.
The NIH Health Behaviors Theory Project
Modern developments—including technological advancement, improved scientific protocols, and greater attention to social and structural determinants of health—have stimulated innovations in the specification, refinement, and application of HBTs.
In response, NIH launched the Health Behaviors Theory Project in late 2022 to examine key challenges in the development, testing, and refinement of health behavior theories and to advance their quality and effectiveness. HBT Project members from both NIH and the academic research community have identified four key actions to drive the development and application of HBTs:
- Reimagine and specify the scope and purpose of an HBT.
- Consider the role of HBTs in understanding and addressing health disparities.
- Synthesize evidence to advance HBTs.
- Capitalize on novel approaches to accelerate HBT development and testing.
Next Steps: Virtual Conference
OBSSR is hosting an upcoming virtual conference titled “Unlocking the Future of Health Behavior Theory: Toward Innovations in Understanding and Practice” on September 8, 2025, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. During this conference, HBT Project members and other NIH leaders will report on recent efforts and facilitate collaborative discussions to explore crosscutting challenges and opportunities for HBTs.
We invite you to join the conference and our broader efforts to improve and promote HBTs. Advancing theory in the behavioral and social sciences has the potential to improve our repertoire of effective health-promotion and disease-prevention strategies and, ultimately, to advance the theoretical and empirical science of health behavior.
