Demographic and social-cognitive factors associated with weight loss in overweight, pre-diabetic participants of the PREVIEW Study

Hansen, Sylvia; Huttunen-Lenz, Maija; Sluik, Diewertje; Brand-Miller, Jennie; Drummen, Mathijs; Fogelholm, Mikael; Handjieva-Darlenska, Teodora; Macdonald, Ian; Martinez, Alfredo J.; Larsen, Thomas Meinert; Poppitt, Sally; Raben, Anne; Schlicht, Wolfgang

Abstract

Purpose

Weight loss has been demonstrated to be a successful strategy in diabetes prevention. Although weight loss is greatly influenced by dietary behaviors, social-cognitive factors play an important role in behavioral determination. This study aimed to identify demographic and social-cognitive factors (intention, self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, social support, and motivation with regard to dietary behavior and goal adjustment) associated with weight loss in overweight and obese participants from the PREVIEW study who had pre-diabetes.
Method

Prospective correlational data from 1973 adult participants were analyzed. The participants completed psychological questionnaires that assessed social-cognitive variables with regard to dietary behavior. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to identify baseline demographic and social-cognitive factors associated with weight loss.
Results

Overall, being male, having a higher baseline BMI, having a higher income, perceiving fewer disadvantages of a healthy diet (outcome expectancies), experiencing less discouragement for healthy eating by family and friends (social support), and lower education were independently linked to greater weight loss. When evaluating females and males separately, education was no longer associated with weight loss.
Conclusion

The results indicate that a supportive environment in which family members and friends avoid discouraging healthy eating, with the application of a strategy that uses specific behavior change techniques to emphasize the benefits of outcomes, i.e., the benefits of a healthy diet, may support weight loss efforts. Weight loss programs should therefore always address the social environment of persons who try to lose body weight because family members and friends can be important supporters in reaching a weight loss goal.

Citation

Hansen, S., Huttunen-Lenz, M., Sluik, D., Brand-Miller, J., Drummen, M., Fogelholm, M., …Schlicht, W. (2018). Demographic and social-cognitive factors associated with weight loss in overweight, pre-diabetic participants of the PREVIEW Study. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 25(6), 682–692. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-018-9744-x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 1, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Aug 20, 2018
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Deposit Date: Sep 24, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 24, 2018
• Journal: International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
• Print ISSN: 1070-5503
• Electronic ISSN: 1532-7558
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 25
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 682–692
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-018-9744-x
• Keywords: Weight loss; Social-cognitive factors; Behavioral determination; Lifestyle intervention
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1128954
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12529-018-9744-x
• Additional Information: The date of acceptance is estimated.