Motivation and Its Relationship to Adherence to Self-monitoring and Weight Loss in a 16-week Internet Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention

• Published in: Journal of nutrition education and behavior Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. 161 - 167
• Main Authors: Webber, Kelly H., PhD, MPH, RD, Tate, Deborah F., PhD, Ward, Dianne S., EdD, Bowling, J. Michael, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-05-2010; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: adherence; Adult; adults; Aged; autonomous motivation; behavior change; Behavior Modification; Behavior Therapy - methods; Body Composition; body mass index; Body Weight; Compliance (Psychology); Computer Uses in Education; Correlation; Exercise - psychology; Female; Females; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Health Behavior; Humans; Internal Medicine; Internet; Intervention; Middle Aged; Motivation; nutritional intervention; Overweight - diet therapy; Overweight - therapy; Patient Compliance - psychology; Regression (Statistics); Self Care - psychology; self-efficacy; temporal variation; Weight control; weight control programs; Weight Loss; Young Adult; weight loss; Internet; adherence; motivation
• ISSN: 1499-4046; 1878-2620; 1708-8259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2009.03.001

Abstract Objective To examine changes in motivation and the relationship of motivation to adherence to self-monitoring and weight loss in a 16-week Internet behavioral weight-loss intervention. Design Two-group randomized design. Setting This study was conducted over the Internet. Participants Sixty-six women, ages 22-65, with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 40, and with a home computer with Internet access, participated. Intervention These data are from an Internet behavioral weight-loss program in which all participants received a face-to-face initial session followed by the 16-week Internet program. Main Outcome Measures Adherence to self-monitoring and weight loss were the main outcome measures. Analysis Linear regression and mediation analysis using the Baron and Kenny method were conducted. Results Autonomous motivation increased initially and remained high for those who ultimately achieved a 5% weight loss, but declined over time for participants who did not achieve a 5% weight loss. Autonomous motivation at 4 weeks was a predictor of adherence to self-monitoring and 16-week weight loss. Adherence mediated the relationship between autonomous motivation and weight loss. Conclusions and Implications These results suggest that autonomous motivation may be a promising intervention target for promoting program procedure adherence and weight loss.