title: Social cognitive mediators of dietary behavior change in adolescent girls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine potential mediators of adolescent girls' dietary behavior change in the Nutrition and Enjoyable Activity for Teen Girls (NEAT Girls) intervention for obesity prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 294 adolescent girls attending 12 secondary schools located in low-income communities of New South Wales, Australia. Hypothesized social cognitive mediators of dietary behavior change were assessed using valid and reliable scales.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intervention effects on dietary outcomes and hypothesized mediators were not statistically significant. However, changes in hypothesized mediators were associated with changes in key dietary behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continued research is needed to examine effective strategies for improving dietary outcomes in youth, and to explore alternative theoretical mechanisms of dietary behavior change.
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Brianne E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia. ron.plotnikoff@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Plotnikoff
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Deborah L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dewar
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Clare E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lubans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D011582:Psychological Theory; D020377:Self Efficacy