Stage of Change for Healthful Eating and Use of Behavioral Strategies

ObjectiveTo examine the distribution of behavioral strategy use across stage of change for healthful eating, and to determine if baseline stage predicts change in use of strategies over 1 year in the absence of intervention.DesignCross-sectional assessment and 1-year follow-up with no intervention.Subjects/settingAdult men and women in two rural Midwest communities.Statistical Analyses PerformedMultiple regression, with tests for group difference and trend, controlling for age and sex.ResultsUse of behavioral strategies as measured by six scales (self-monitoring, planning, preparation and buying, portion control, social interactions, and cognitive strategies) followed a clear linear trend across stages of change for healthful eating. Strategy use was more strongly related to stage than energy intake, fat intake, and fruit and vegetable servings as measured via food frequency questionnaire. Baseline stage of change showed some relationship to change in strategy use over time, although most group differences were not statistically significant.ConclusionsUse of a range of behavioral strategies is strongly related to stage of change for healthful eating, and more closely associated with stage than dietary intake. In the absence of intervention, baseline stage only weakly predicted changes in strategy use. Programs with the goal of encouraging a range of healthful eating behaviors may find these measures of strategy use to be helpful in defining stage of change, and possibly in tracking behavior change over time.