Self-Regulatory Skills for Controlled Eating Emanating from Newly Initiated Physical Activity

Abstract

The relationship of physical activity with weight loss may largely be due to its association with psychosocial factors. The goal of this research was to clarify such relationships using a field design lasting 24 weeks. In Study 1, change in self-regulation for controlled eating, but not energy expenditure, mediated the relationship between changes in physical activity and weight in formerly sedentary, severely obese adults (n = 174). In Study 2 (n = 148), the addition of a cognitive-behavioral nutrition treatment was associated with significantly greater improvement in self-regulation for eating. Physical activity-related self-regulation changes were related to those improvements. Changes in self-efficacy for controlled eating and mood mediated the prediction of changes in eating-related self-regulation from changes on physical activity-related self-regulation. Change in body satisfaction was not a significant mediator. Based on the findings, practical uses of physical activity to enhance self-regulatory skills for controlled eating were suggested.