Chui Tsz Kiu, Cedillo Yenni E, El Zein Assil, Pavela Gregory, Caldwell Ann E, Peters John C, Friedman James E, DebRoy Swati, Oslund Jennifer L, Das Sai Krupa, Roberts Susan B, Hill James O, Sayer R Drew
Department of Nutrition Sciences University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USA.
Department of Family and Community Medicine University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USA.
Obes Sci Pract. 2024 Aug 10;10(4):e785. doi: 10.1002/osp4.785. eCollection 2024 Aug.
Socioecological factors are associated with key health behaviors that are critical for weight management, and major life events may disrupt engagement in these behaviors. However, the influence of socioecological factors on health behaviors in the midst of major life events is not clear and is difficult to study due to the random and sporadic nature of their occurrence. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to study a major life event and its impacts on diet, physical activity, and body weight.
This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate associations between socioecological factors (environmental, interpersonal, and individual) and self-reported weight change during a major life event using data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether the associations were mediated through self-reported changes in eating and physical activity behaviors.
Participants self-reported socioecological factors, weight change, and changes in eating behaviors (EB) and physical activity (PA) via online questionnaires between December 2020 and October 2021. Changes in EB and PA were measured using scales with higher scores reflecting more positive changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants ( = 1283) were mostly female (84.9%) with age 52.1 ± 14.1 years (mean ± SD) and BMI of 32.9 ± 8.2 kg/m. Stronger healthy eater and exercise identities (individual factors) were associated with higher EB scores (EBS) and PA scores (PAS), respectively ('s < 0.00001). Less discouragement for healthy eating by family/friends (interpersonal factor) was associated with higher EBS ( = 0.002). Higher EBS and PAS were associated with weight loss. The indirect effect of healthy eater identity (-0.72; 95% CI: -0.90, -0.55) and discouragement for diet (0.07; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.12) on weight change through EBS were significant, as was the indirect effect of exercise identity (-0.25; 95% CI: -0.35, -0.15) on weight change through PAS.
Stronger identities and less discouragement from family/friends may support health promoting behaviors and weight loss during a major life event, as well as identify additional behavioral targets for lifestyle interventions.
IWCR was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04907396).
社会生态因素与体重管理的关键健康行为相关，重大生活事件可能会干扰这些行为的参与。然而，社会生态因素对重大生活事件期间健康行为的影响尚不清楚，由于其发生的随机性和偶发性，难以进行研究。2019冠状病毒病大流行提供了一个独特的机会来研究重大生活事件及其对饮食、身体活动和体重的影响。
本横断面研究旨在利用2019冠状病毒病大流行期间收集的数据，调查社会生态因素（环境、人际和个体）与重大生活事件期间自我报告的体重变化之间的关联，以及这些关联是否通过自我报告的饮食和身体活动行为变化介导。
2020年12月至2021年10月期间，参与者通过在线问卷自我报告社会生态因素、体重变化以及饮食行为（EB）和身体活动（PA）的变化。使用量表测量EB和PA的变化，得分越高反映2019冠状病毒病大流行期间的积极变化越大。
参与者（n = 1283）大多为女性（84.9%），年龄52.1±14.1岁（均值±标准差），体重指数为32.9±8.2kg/m²。更强的健康饮食者和运动者身份认同（个体因素）分别与更高的EB得分（EBS）和PA得分（PAS）相关（P值均<0.00001）。家人/朋友对健康饮食的劝阻较少（人际因素）与更高的EBS相关（P = 0.002）。更高的EBS和PAS与体重减轻相关。健康饮食者身份认同（-0.72；95%CI：-0.90，-0.55）和饮食劝阻（0.07；95%CI：0.03，0.12）通过EBS对体重变化的间接效应显著，运动者身份认同（-0.25；95%CI：-0.35，-0.15）通过PAS对体重变化的间接效应也显著。
更强的身份认同以及家人/朋友较少的劝阻可能有助于在重大生活事件期间促进健康行为和体重减轻，同时也为生活方式干预确定额外的行为目标。
IWCR在ClinicalTrials.gov（NCT04907396）注册。
