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 .
Relationship of Exercise Program Participation with Weight Loss in Adults with Severe Obesity: Assessing Psychologically Based Mediators
Background : Although exercise is related to weight loss , minimal energy expenditures typical in deconditioned persons explain only small portions of this reduction . Thus , it has been suggested that exercise-induced changes in psychological variables associated with appropriate eating may be mediators . Methods : Adults with obesity ( N = 106 ; Mean BMI = 42.0 ; SD = 6.0 kg/m2 ) , volunteering for a cognitive-behavioral exercise support program and group nutrition information , were assessed on overall mood , self-efficacy for controlled eating , self-regulation skills usage for appropriate eating , recalled volume of physical activity , body mass index ( BMI ) , and waist circumference at baseline and at month six . Results : All within-subject changes were significant ( P < 0.001 ) and as expected , changes in volumes of physical activity were significantly related to BMI ( & bgr ; = -0.52 ) and waist circumference ( & bgr ; = −0.63 ) changes . These relationships were partially mediated by changes in self-efficacy and self-regulation scores . Mediation of mood changes did not , however , reach statistical significance . Conclusion : In severely obese persons initiating behaviorally supported exercise , weight loss may be better accounted for by changes in psychological predictors of improved eating such as self-efficacy and self-regulation than by direct energy expenditure . Implication s for weight loss theory development and clinical applications were discussed
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 .