Identified mediators for medium-/long-term weight control were higher levels of autonomous motivation , self-efficacy/barriers , self-regulation skills ( such as self-monitoring ) , flexible eating restraint , and positive body image .
For physical activity , significant putative mediators were high autonomous motivation , self-efficacy , and use of self-regulation skills .
For dietary intake , the evidence was much less clear , and no consistent mediators were identified .
Conclusions This is the first systematic review of mediational psychological mechanisms of successful outcomes in obesity-related lifestyle change interventions .
Despite limited evidence , higher autonomous motivation , self-efficacy , and self-regulation skills emerged as the best predictors of beneficial weight and physical activity outcomes ; for weight control , positive body image and flexible eating restraint may additionally improve outcomes .
These variables represent possible targets for future lifestyle interventions in overweight/obese population
Background Relapse is high in lifestyle obesity interventions involving behavior and weight change .
Identifying mediators of successful outcomes in these interventions is critical to improve effectiveness and to guide approaches to obesity treatment , including re source allocation .
This article review s the most consistent self-regulation mediators of medium- and long-term weight control , physical activity , and dietary intake in clinical and community behavior change interventions targeting overweight/obese adults .
Mediating Effects of Group Cohesion on Physical Activity and Diet in Women of Color: Health is Power
Purpose . To determine the effects and mediating factors of a physical activity ( PA ) or vegetable and fruit ( VF ) group cohesion intervention . Design . Longitudinal design . Setting . Harris County and Travis County , Texas . Participants . Community-dwelling African-American and Hispanic or Latina women . Intervention . Three hundred ten women were r and omized to a PA ( n = 204 ) or VF ( n = 106 ) intervention group . Women met in groups six times over the course of 6 months and were exposed to a group cohesion intervention to promote walking or to increase VF consumption . Measures . Women completed the International PA  Question naire , National Cancer Institute VF and fat screeners , PA Group Environment Question naire , and 7-day accelerometer protocol at baseline and post-intervention . Analyses . The direct and mediated effects of the intervention on outcomes were evaluated using a mediational chain model , controlling for baseline values and covariates using path analysis . Results . Women were middle aged ( mean = 44.4 years ) and overweight or obese ( mean body mass index = 34.0 kg/m2 ) .  PA increased and fat consumption decreased for both groups , whereas  VF consumption increased for women in VF group only ( all p < . 05 ) . Increased task cohesion led to hypothesized increases in psychosocial factors in the PA group but not to behavioral changes . Conclusions . Group cohesion interventions may have psychological and physical health benefits for African-American and Hispanic or Latina women , but refinement of measures and intervention delivery is needed to determine whether hypothesized mediational pathways are valid
Identified mediators for medium-/long-term weight control were higher levels of autonomous motivation , self-efficacy/barriers , self-regulation skills ( such as self-monitoring ) , flexible eating restraint , and positive body image .
For physical activity , significant putative mediators were high autonomous motivation , self-efficacy , and use of self-regulation skills .
For dietary intake , the evidence was much less clear , and no consistent mediators were identified .
Conclusions This is the first systematic review of mediational psychological mechanisms of successful outcomes in obesity-related lifestyle change interventions .
Despite limited evidence , higher autonomous motivation , self-efficacy , and self-regulation skills emerged as the best predictors of beneficial weight and physical activity outcomes ; for weight control , positive body image and flexible eating restraint may additionally improve outcomes .
These variables represent possible targets for future lifestyle interventions in overweight/obese population
Background Relapse is high in lifestyle obesity interventions involving behavior and weight change .
Identifying mediators of successful outcomes in these interventions is critical to improve effectiveness and to guide approaches to obesity treatment , including re source allocation .
This article review s the most consistent self-regulation mediators of medium- and long-term weight control , physical activity , and dietary intake in clinical and community behavior change interventions targeting overweight/obese adults .