A PROCESSES OF CHANGE MODEL FOR WEIGHT CONTROL FOR PARTICIPANTS IN COMMUNITY-BASED WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS

The processes of change model has been successful in predicting behavi or change across a wide range of both addictive and nonaddictive probl em behaviors. This study was designed to examine the application of th e processes of change model to weight control. Study participants incl uded 285 women and men enrolled in three community-based weight loss p rograms. Results based on structural equation analyses showed that the processes of change model fit the data better than several plausible alternative models. In addition, structural analyses revealed the exis tence of two general (higher order) processes of change for weight con trol, the experiential and behavioral processes. These results are sim ilar to those previously reported for eight other problem behaviors. L imitations of the current work and future directions for this line of research are discussed.