Table 3 A conceptual framework for saints, sinners and persons in the pew in the context of food choices

Definitions

1. a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and regarded in Christian faith as being in heaven after death, a very virtuous, kind [36].

2. In the Bible, the word “saints” refers to “holy people”. The people of Israel are “saints”, “holy ones”, a nation set apart by God for the worship and service of God, so in the New Testament those who comprise the church are also called holy, “saints”, because they too are set apart to God, God’s own people (Rom. 1.7; Phil. 1.1; passim) [37].

1. One who sins or does wrong; a transgressor [38].

2. A scamp. a person who sins; transgressor [38].

3. Noun 1. sinner - a person who sins, evildoer, offender, [38].

4. .Sin can refer to a break in relations of humans with God or with other persons, an act that violates commandments and rules, or a power that tempts and dominates [39]

5. Sin defines the essence of sinners, so that they are their sin. Sinners commit acts of sin because they are essentially and totally defined by sin [39]

People who do believe in the issues, and have considered them and are sitting in the middle between saints and sinners.

Signifiers

• Adoption (of the message)

• Self determined

• Modelling ‘right’ behaviours

• Rejection

• Fear

• Transgression

• Renunciation

• Avoidance

• Guilt

• Shame

• Withhold/withdraw

Role

Actor/Exemplar

Rejector

Avoider

Motivation

Intrinsic

Amotivation

Extrinsic

Regulation (i.e. SDT)

Internal (self)

Non-regulation

External

Adapted definitions of people in the “Western Church of Scientific Healthy Eating”

People who are exemplars and set apart by their adherence to healthy eating

NOTE: researcher definition of healthy eating is according to prevailing scientific guidelines provided by organisations such as the World Health Organisation [40], the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council [41] and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [42]

People who oppose (actively or passively) the healthy eating messages they have heard (e.g. think the government is lying to them about obesity and healthy food).

People who accept the ideals of healthy eating but are not actively adopting these practices at present.

Changing their eating habits is not a current priority. They think they are ‘good’.