OBJECTIVES: Using the weight efficacy lifestyle questionnaire (WEL), we examined whether a group-mediated intervention for weight loss among older, obese adults resulted in changes in self-regulatory self-efficacy for eating behavior and whether these changes mediated weight loss. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled design, and 288 older adults received 1 of 3 treatments for 6 months: physical activity only (PA), weight loss plus physical activity (WL+PA), or a successful aging (SA) health education program. The WEL was administered prior to randomization and again at the 6-month follow-up visit. RESULTS: A significant treatment effect was observed for the WEL, F[2,249] = 15.11, p < 0.0001, partial eta2 = 0.11, showing that improvement occurred only in the WL+PA group as compared with PA and SA. Changes in WEL scores partially mediated the effects of the WL+PA intervention on weight loss. DISCUSSION: These results illustrate that WL+PA can be effective in improving older adults' self-efficacy for the self-regulation of eating behavior and that these changes are prospectively related to the amount of weight loss. Further research is warranted on an expanded concept of self-efficacy as well as controlled experimental studies on eating behavior in older adults.
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