Timing of dietary change in response to a telephone counseling intervention: evidence from the WHEL study

Health Psychol. 2008 Sep;27(5):539-47. doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.27.5.539.

Abstract

Objective: Little is known about temporal patterns of diet change within interventions, nor about predictors of early and sustained successful change. Social-cognitive theory asserts that early successes in achieving behavior change increase self-efficacy, leading to longer-term success.

Design: The authors conducted exploratory cluster analyses using dietary data from the first month of the telephone counseling intervention of the Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) Study.

Main outcome measure: Change in dietary pattern at three early intervention timepoints.

Results: Three clusters were identified: Cluster 1 (25%) was close to meeting study goals at baseline, but still made major changes; Cluster 2 (49%) and Cluster 3 (26%) were not achieving study goals at baseline, but Cluster 2 made substantial immediate changes, while Cluster 3 changed their diet more gradually. Baseline demographic and behavioral variables were associated with cluster membership; however, the strongest predictors of cluster were self-efficacy, motivation, and approaches to study goals. Cluster membership predicted dietary pattern at 12 months.

Conclusion: These data suggest that a one-on-one telephone counseling intervention that is intensive in the early weeks may maximize the level of change achieved in a study.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Breast Neoplasms / prevention & control
  • Carotenoids / blood
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Counseling*
  • Diet Therapy*
  • Dietary Fiber
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Psychological Theory
  • Self Efficacy
  • Survivors / statistics & numerical data
  • Telephone*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Dietary Fiber
  • Carotenoids