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

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/m(2); 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.