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Purpose: Using baseline data from a prevention of weight gain intervention study, we investigated whether self-efficacy mediated the relations between social support and dietary intake of saturated fat, fast food, fruit and vegetable in low-income postpartum women who were overweight or obese.Methods: Participants (N = 740) completed validated measures of self-reported social support, self-efficacy, and dietary intake of saturated fat, fast food, fruit and vegetable. We performed composite indicator structural equation modeling to test the mediation effect. Effect size was calculated using proportion of maximum possible (POMP) scores in the endogenous variables (e.g., fast food) per unit change in the exogenous variable.Results: When including the influence of self-efficacy as a mediator, social support indirectly influenced dietary intake of saturated fat (p ≤ 0.001, POMP = -0.77%), fast food (p ≤ 0.001, POMP = -0.28%), and fruit and vegetable (p ≤ 0.001, POMP = 0.53%). Thus, these data are consistent with self-efficacy mediating the relations between social support and dietary intake of saturated fat, fast food, fruit and vegetable in low-income postpartum women who were overweight or obese.Conclusion: Dietary interventions aiming to decrease saturated fat and fast food intake and increase fruit and vegetable intake for the target population may consider including practical skills for increasing social support and self-efficacy that can be implemented in daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We investigated whether autonomous motivation and self-efficacy might mediate the association between a lifestyle behavior intervention and dietary fat intake in low-income overweight or obese women with young children.Methods: Participants were randomized to an intervention or comparison group. Intervention participants received a 16-week intervention aimed to prevent weight gain through promotion of stress management, healthy eating and physical activity. During the intervention phase, participants viewed a designated video lesson at home and dialed in a peer support group teleconference every week (weeks 1-4) then every other week (weeks 5-16). Potential mediation effects were analyzed using sequential mixed-effects linear models and path analysis.Results: The intervention led to increased autonomous motivation (β = 0.34, standard error [SE] = 0.15, P = 0.005), which subsequently increased self-efficacy (β = 0.18, SE = 0.35, P < 0.001), and higher levels of self-efficacy were associated with decreased dietary fat intake (β = -0.22, SE = 0.28, P < 0.001). In other words, autonomous motivation and self-efficacy mediated the association between the lifestyle behavior intervention and dietary fat intake.Conclusion: To decrease dietary fat intake for low-income overweight or obese women with young children, strategies, such as those promoting peer encouragement, may be warranted in interventions to enhance autonomous motivation and/or practical skills for increasing self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]