Applying the stages of change to multiple low-fat dietary behavioral contexts. An examination of stage occupation and discontinuity.

Consuming a diet lower in total fat is important for the prevention of many chronic diseases. Individual and population-based programs targeting this behavior must be theoretically grounded and consider the context within which dietary behavior change may be attempted. To identify the factors differentiating stage of readiness to follow a low-fat diet, a sample (N=1216) of adults was surveyed using 4 different staging algorithms to assess stages of change and associated social-cognitive variables (pros, cons, and temptation).

Change in fruit and vegetable intake over 24 months in older adults: results of the SENIOR project intervention.

Purpose: We test the efficacy of an intervention based on the transtheoretical model to increase the intake of fruits and vegetables and to describe differences in psychosocial variables based on the achievement of the 5 A Day Program target.

Design And Methods: This study is a randomized controlled trial comparing a 12-month fruit and vegetable intervention to a control condition with a 12-month follow-up. Participants included 1,277 community-residing persons who were 60 years of age or older; 834 provided dietary data at all three time points and are included in our outcome analyses.

Stage-based expert systems to guide a population of primary care patients to quit smoking, eat healthier, prevent skin cancer, and receive regular mammograms.

Background: Treating multiple health behavior risks on a population basis is one of the most promising approaches to enhancing health and reducing health care costs. Previous research demonstrated the efficacy of expert system interventions for three behaviors in a population of parents. The interventions provide individualized feedback that guides participants through the stages of change for each of their risk behaviors.

Multiple risk expert systems interventions: impact of simultaneous stage-matched expert system interventions for smoking, high-fat diet, and sun exposure in a population of parents.

Three stage-based expert system interventions for smoking, high-fat diet, and unsafe sun exposure were evaluated in a sample of 2,460 parents of teenagers. Eighty-four percent of the eligible parents were enrolled in a 2-arm randomized control trial, with the treatment group receiving individualized feedback reports for each of their relevant behaviors at 0, 6, and 12 months as well as a multiple behavior manual. At 24 months, the expert system outperformed the comparison condition across all 3 risk behaviors, resulting in 22% of the participants in action or maintenance for smoking (vs.

Changes in diabetes self-care behaviors make a difference in glycemic control: the Diabetes Stages of Change (DiSC) study.

Objective: This study compared diabetes Treatment As Usual (TAU) with Pathways To Change (PTC), an intervention developed from the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM), to determine whether the PTC intervention would result in greater readiness to change, greater increases in self-care, and improved diabetes control.

Research Design And Methods: Participants were stratified by diabetes treatment and randomized to treatment with PTC or TAU as well as being randomized regarding receipt of free blood testing strips. The PTC consisted of stage-matched personalized assessment reports, self-help manuals, newsletters, and individual phone counseling designed to improve readiness for self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG), healthy eating, and/or smoking cessation.