Cleare Angel E, Gardner Christopher D, King Abby C, Patel Michele L
Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, United States.
Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, United States.
Ann Behav Med. 2025 Jan 4;59(1). doi: 10.1093/abm/kaae085.
Self-efficacy is a modifiable intervention target in behavioral weight loss interventions. However, its role in the context of digital interventions is less clear.
To determine change in self-efficacy in a digital weight loss intervention, and whether self-efficacy is associated with engagement in self-monitoring diet or weight loss.
This is a secondary analysis of the GoalTracker study among 100 adults with overweight or obesity enrolled in a 12-week standalone digital weight loss intervention emphasizing daily self-monitoring. At baseline, 1 month, and 3 months, we assessed self-efficacy for controlling eating (via the Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire; WELQ) and self-efficacy for tracking diet. Dietary self-monitoring engagement data were collected from the MyFitnessPal app. Weight was collected in person on a calibrated scale. Analyses included participants with complete data (N range: 72-99).
Positive change from baseline to 1 month in self-efficacy for controlling eating was associated with higher dietary self-monitoring engagement (r = 0.21, P = .008) but not with 3-month weight change (r = -0.20, P = .052). Meanwhile, positive change from baseline to 1 month in self-efficacy for tracking diet was associated in a beneficial direction with both outcomes (r = 0.57, P < .001; r = -0.35, P < .001, respectively). However, on average, self-efficacy for controlling eating did not change over time while self-efficacy for tracking diet decreased (P < .001).
Improvements in self-efficacy-particularly for tracking diet-early on in a digital weight loss intervention served as a mechanism of greater engagement and weight loss, highlighting the need for strengthening intervention strategies that promote early self-efficacy within a digital context.
自我效能感是行为减肥干预中一个可调节的干预目标。然而，其在数字干预背景下的作用尚不清楚。
确定数字减肥干预中自我效能感的变化，以及自我效能感是否与自我监测饮食或体重减轻的参与度相关。
这是对GoalTracker研究的二次分析，该研究纳入了100名超重或肥胖的成年人，他们参加了一项为期12周的独立数字减肥干预，该干预强调每日自我监测。在基线、1个月和3个月时，我们评估了控制饮食的自我效能感（通过体重效能生活方式问卷；WELQ）和跟踪饮食的自我效能感。饮食自我监测参与数据从MyFitnessPal应用程序中收集。体重通过校准秤亲自测量。分析纳入了具有完整数据的参与者（N范围：72 - 99）。
从基线到1个月，控制饮食的自我效能感的正向变化与更高的饮食自我监测参与度相关（r = 0.21，P = 0.008），但与3个月时的体重变化无关（r = -0.20，P = 0.052）。同时，从基线到1个月，跟踪饮食的自我效能感的正向变化在有益方向上与两个结果均相关（分别为r = 0.57，P < 0.001；r = -0.35，P < 0.001）。然而，平均而言，控制饮食的自我效能感随时间没有变化，而跟踪饮食的自我效能感下降了（P < 0.001）。
在数字减肥干预早期，自我效能感的提高——特别是跟踪饮食的自我效能感——是更高参与度和体重减轻的一种机制，这突出了在数字环境中加强促进早期自我效能感的干预策略的必要性。
