Associations Between Weight Loss Attempts, Food Planning, and the Home Food Environment

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate whether food planning behaviors mediate the relationship between a reported weight loss attempt and the home food environment (HFE).

Design: Secondary data analysis of 4 home visits, included collecting an objective home food inventory of the HFE and self-reported food planning behaviors.

Participants: There were 196 participants (mean age, 44.4 years; 83.7% female).

Main outcome measures: The percentage of obesogenic foods and fruits and vegetables (FV).

Analysis: Four regression analyses to test mediation.

Results: Meal planning and grocery list use did not explain the relationship between a weight loss attempt and obesogenic foods or FV in the home (P > 0.05). Post hoc analyses that examined participants with a body mass index of >25, >28, and >30 found that a weight loss attempt was associated with fewer obesogenic foods. In contrast, mediation analyses with planning behaviors and associations with FV in the home were nonsignificant (P > 0.05).

Conclusions and implications: Obesity was more indicative of the HFE than making a weight loss attempt. A weight loss attempt was not associated with food planning behaviors, which may be used for multiple reasons, including organization and time management. Future studies should evaluate individual differences in strategies to create a healthy HFE in the context of a weight loss attempt.

Keywords: food planning behaviors; home food inventory; meal planning; obesity.