Isn’t that also good for my health? The shifting nature of sanctioned and non-sanctioned occupations in the context of lifestyle change

Despite increasing interest in using occupation as both a means and a goal in health promotion, little attention has been paid to how societal norms, cultural values, and broader discourses shape which practices are considered meaningful, (un)healthy, or (un)desirable. This study critically examines how occupations shift between non-sanctioned and sanctioned in the context of health promotion and lifestyle change in Sweden. A secondary analysis of interviews and reflective field notes from a broader project was conducted using critical discourse analysis. Analysis was informed by the concepts of sanctioned and non-sanctioned occupations and healthism and generated four empirically grounded vignettes: “The weight of the gaze”, “The good citizen”, “The balance of expectations and morality”, and “The good life under scrutiny”. These vignettes demonstrate how people negotiate personal values, health ideals, moral tensions, and social surveillance in daily practices. Further, they illustrate how structural constraints influence lifestyle changes and meaningful occupations in ways that comply with, normalise, or resist what is socially desirable or expected. The findings challenge simplistic assumptions that health responsibility lies solely in individual decision-making and choices. Nuanced understandings of the shifting nature of sanctioned and non-sanctioned occupation within health promotion, and how this shifting drives or constrains sustainable lifestyle change, are needed.