title: The science of sustaining health behavior change: the health maintenance consortium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To enhance understanding of the long-term maintenance of behavior change, as well as effective strategies for achieving sustainable health promotion and disease prevention through the Health Maintenance Consortium (HMC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This introductory research synthesis prepared by the resource center gives context to this theme issue by providing an overview of the HMC and the articles in this journal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It explores the contributions to our conceptualization of behavior change processes and intervention strategies, the trajectory of effectiveness of behavioral and social interventions, and factors influencing the long-term maintenance of behavioral and social interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future directions for furthering the science of maintaining behavior change and reducing the gaps between research and practice are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Health, Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, College Station, TX 77840, USA. MOry@srph.tamhsc.edu
authors.forename: Marcia G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ory
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee Smith
authors.forename: Nelda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mier
authors.forename: Meghan M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wernicke
mesh_terms: D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D012107:Research Design; D012309:Risk-Taking