Study background: Limited knowledge of psychological correlates of weight loss is associated with continuing failures of behavioral obesity treatments beyond the short term.
Purpose: This study aimed to inform health professionals' obesity interventions via an increased knowledge of mediators of the exercise-weight loss maintenance relationship.
Methods: Women participated in 6-month obesity treatments within community settings emphasizing moderate exercise and self-regulation skills development via primarily in-person (n = 54) or primarily written (n = 54) means. Changes in mood, self-regulating eating, and weight over 6, 12, and 24 months were assessed. A moderated mediation model was tested using the PROCESS macro instruction.
Results: Improvements in mood, self-regulating eating, and weight were significantly greater in the in-person group. The relationship between a dichotomous measure of completing at least 3 sessions of exercise per week (or not) and change in weight over 6 months was no longer significant when the mediators of changes in negative mood and self-regulation of eating were sequentially entered. Paths of exercise→negative mood reduction→eating self-regulation increase→weight loss over 6, 12 and 24 months were significant. Exercise self-regulation at Month 3 significantly moderated the mood change→eating self-regulation change relationship.
Conclusions: Based on the identified paths, scalable obesity-treatment content and emphases were informed. This could help guide health professionals' actions concerning the management of obesity.
Keywords: Behavior change; mood; obesity; self-regulation; treatment.