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The study purpose was to examine whether adolescents who participated in organized physical activity (PA) programs differed from nonparticipants in motivation, social support, and self-efficacy related to PA; PA (min/hr); and sedentary screen time behavior. Thirty-nine 5th–7th grade adolescents participated in organized PA programs; 41 did not. Approximately 56.3% were Black, and 52.5% had annual family incomes <$20,000. Compared to nonparticipants, those who participated reported significantly higher social support (M = 2.32 vs. 3.13, p <.001) and fewer hours watching television or movies on a usual weekend day (M = 2.49 vs. 1.59, p =.016); and had higher accelerometer-measured vigorous PA (M = 0.58 vs. 1.04, p =.009) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (M = 2.48 vs. 3.45, p =.035). Involving adolescents in organized PA programs may be important for improving their moderate-to-vigorous PA, vigorous PA, and related psychosocial factors, as well as reducing sedentary screen time behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Investigate the associations between psychosocial factors and physical activity. Design: Secondary data analysis utilizing baseline data of a large-scale community-based randomized controlled lifestyle behavior intervention. Setting: The Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Michigan, USA. Subjects: Low-income overweight or obese mothers with young children (N = 740, 65% response rate). Measures: Survey data were collected via phone interview. Predictors included self-efficacy, autonomous motivation, emotional coping, and social support. Self-reported leisure physical activity was the outcome variable. Covariates were age, race, smoking, employment, education, body mass index, and postpartum status. Analysis: A multiple linear regression model was applied. Results: Self-efficacy (β =.32, 95% CI =.11,.52, P =.003) and autonomous motivation (β =.10, 95% CI =.03,.17, P =.005) were positively associated with physical activity. However, emotional coping and social support were not associated with physical activity. Conclusion: Future research should examine the longitudinal association of key psychosocial factors with physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Episodic future thinking (EFT) has shown efficacy in laboratory settings. We conducted a pilot goal-oriented EFT (GoEFT) intervention in a real-world setting to help low-income overweight or obese mothers lose weight. This paper presents intervention acceptability and efficacy. Methods. The study used a single-group, before–after design. During the 3-week intervention, participants (N = 15) completed weekly web-based lessons and online health coaching sessions to manage stress and emotion, eat healthier, and be more physically active. Participants completed online surveys at baseline and immediately after the intervention. They also completed an interview to evaluate intervention acceptability. We applied paired t-tests to evaluate efficacy and used content analysis to discover interview themes. Results. Participants consistently identified the intervention as acceptable, noting the usefulness of pre-written goals, GoEFT strategies, and goal progress evaluations. The intervention effectively promoted weight loss (d = −0.69), fruit and vegetable intake (d = 0.45–0.49), and emotion control (d = 0.71). It also reduced fat (d = −0.51) and added sugar intake (d = −0.48) and alleviated stress (d = −0.52). Moreover, the intervention increased autonomous motivation (d = 0.75–0.88) and self-efficacy (d = 0.46–0.61). Conclusion. The GoEFT intervention was acceptable to participants, showing strong preliminary efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from a community-based lifestyle behavioral intervention study, this secondary data analysis investigated whether emotional coping, coping self-efficacy, and autonomous motivation mediated the association between the intervention and perceived stress in low-income overweight or obese mothers of young children. Results showed that coping self-efficacy significantly mediated the association between the intervention and perceived stress. However, emotional coping and autonomous motivation did not significantly mediate the association between intervention and perceived stress. Interventions may be more effective in helping the target audience reduce stress if they incorporate practical skills that can increase a sense of coping self-efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about associations between perceived stress, psychosocial factors (social support, emotional coping, coping self-efficacy, and autonomous motivation), and depressive symptoms in low-income overweight or obese mothers of young children. Using baseline data of a lifestyle intervention study, this secondary analysis investigates whether perceived stress might mediate the associations between the psychosocial factors and depressive symptoms.Methods: Convenience sampling was applied. Low-income overweight or obese mothers of young children were recruited from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Michigan, US. Survey data were collected through phone interviews. Participants (N = 740) responded to valid surveys measuring perceived stress, social support, emotional coping, coping self-efficacy, autonomous motivation, and depressive symptoms. Composite indicator structural equation modeling was performed to test for potential mediation.Results: When investigating the potential role of perceived stress as a mediator, the indirect effects of social support (b = - 2.10, p < 0.01), emotion coping (b = - 3.81, p < 0.05), and coping self-efficacy (b = - 7.53, p < 0.01) on depressive symptoms through perceived stress were significant, but the indirect effect of autonomous motivation was not.Conclusion: Future intervention studies aiming to alleviate depressive symptoms in low-income overweight or obese mothers of young children might consider including practical strategies to promote social support, emotional coping, and coping self-efficacy to reduce perceived stress, which might potentially decrease depressive symptoms.Trial Registration: Clinical Trials NCT01839708 ; registered February 28, 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]