Research

Predicting short-term weight loss using four leading health behavior change theories

António L Palmeira^1,2 , Pedro J Teixeira¹ , Teresa L Branco¹ , Sandra S Martins¹ , Cláudia S Minderico¹ , José T Barata¹ , Sidónio O Serpa¹ and Luís B Sardinha¹

¹  Faculty of Human Movement, Technical University of Lisbon, Estrada da Costa, 1495-688, Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal

²  University Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande, 1749-028, Lisbon, Portugal

author email corresponding author email

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity 2007, 4:14doi:10.1186/1479-5868-4-14

Published:	20 April 2007

Abstract

Background

This study was conceived to analyze how exercise and weight management psychosocial variables, derived from several health behavior change theories, predict weight change in a short-term intervention. The theories under analysis were the Social Cognitive Theory, the Transtheoretical Model, the Theory of Planned Behavior, and Self-Determination Theory.

Methods

Subjects were 142 overweight and obese women (BMI = 30.2 ± 3.7 kg/m²; age = 38.3 ± 5.8y), participating in a 16-week University-based weight control program. Body weight and a comprehensive psychometric battery were assessed at baseline and at program's end.

Results

Weight decreased significantly (-3.6 ± 3.4%, p < .001) but with great individual variability. Both exercise and weight management psychosocial variables improved during the intervention, with exercise-related variables showing the greatest effect sizes. Weight change was significantly predicted by each of the models under analysis, particularly those including self-efficacy. Bivariate and multivariate analyses results showed that change in variables related to weight management had a stronger predictive power than exercise-specific predictors and that change in weight management self-efficacy was the strongest individual correlate (p < .05). Among exercise predictors, with the exception of self-efficacy, importance/effort and intrinsic motivation towards exercise were the stronger predictors of weight reduction (p < .05).

Conclusion

The present models were able to predict 20–30% of variance in short-term weight loss and changes in weight management self-efficacy accounted for a large share of the predictive power. As expected from previous studies, exercise variables were only moderately associated with short-term outcomes; they are expected to play a larger explanatory role in longer-term results.