title: Predicting short-term weight loss using four leading health behavior change theories.
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 +/- 5.8 y), 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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors: Faculty of Human Movement, Technical University of Lisbon, Estrada da Costa, 1495-688, Cruz-Quebrada, Portugal. antonio.palmeira@ulusofona.pt
authors: António L
authors: AL
authors: Palmeira
authors: Pedro J
authors: PJ
authors: Teixeira
authors: Teresa L
authors: TL
authors: Branco
authors: Sandra S
authors: SS
authors: Martins
authors: Cláudia S
authors: CS
authors: Minderico
authors: José T
authors: JT
authors: Barata
authors: Sidónio O
authors: SO
authors: Serpa
authors: Luís B
authors: LB
authors: Sardinha