Testing Theories of Dietary Behavior Change in Youth Using the Mediating Variable Model with Intervention Programs
Abstract
Objective To review and critique current experimentally-based evidence of theoretical mechanisms of dietary behavior change in youth and provide recommendations on ways to enhance theory evaluation. Methods Interventions that examined mediators of dietary behavior change in youth (age 5-18 years) were identified via electronic database searches and reference scanning. Selected studies were reviewed for quality and content and findings were tabulated. Results Seven published interventions were found. All were school-based but differed substantially in dietary outcome, target population, measures, methods of mediation analyses, and theoretical framework. Interventions were relatively unsuccessful in changing mediators. Self-efficacy and outcome expectations were the mechanisms most consistently associated with dietary behavior change. However, only outcome expectancies were identified as mediators in multiple interventions. Conclusions and implications Few interventions have assessed the validity of theoretical mechanisms of dietary behavior change in youth. The variability in the design and target populations across studies makes it impossible to draw conclusions regarding the validity of theories and mediators of dietary behavior change in youth. Future intervention trials need to focus on the identification of effective procedures for mediator change and adopt a more rigorous and systematic approach to theory testing. This is likely to result in more effective interventions.
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Study quality was assessed using the 11-item Mediation Quality Checklist.
“The 11‐item Mediation Quality Checklist tool, initially formulated by Lubans et al. (2008) and adapted by Cerin et al. (2009) and Rhodes and Pfaeffli (2010), was employed to assess the mediation study quality of empirical studies”
From The Mechanisms Underlying the Relationship Between Self‐Compassion and Psychological Outcomes in Adult Populations: A Systematic Review. (2025) · cites this paper as Cerin et al. (2009)
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Diep, C. S., Beltran, A., Chen, T. A., Thompson, D. I., O’Connor, T. M., Hughes, S. O., Baranowski, J. C., & Baranowski, T. (2014) · Public Health Nutrition · doi:10.1017/s1368980014002079 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
“Behavioural theories provide a framework for understanding and systematically studying feeding behaviours((26,27)).”
BackgroundSelf-citationYoung, M. D., Lubans, D. R., Collins, C. E., Callister, R., Plotnikoff, R. C., & Morgan, P. J. (2014) · Annals of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1007/s12160-014-9657-0 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“, [7, 8]), fewer have considered mediators of weight loss (e.”
BackgroundInfluences on Children's Dietary Behavior, and Innovative Attempts to Change It
Baranowski, T., Diep, C. S., & Baranowski, J. C. (2013) · Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism · doi:10.1159/000351539 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Self-citationPsychologische Aspekte der Adipositas
Warschburger, P. (2011) · Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz · doi:10.1007/s00103-011-1264-7 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Khokhar, D., Nowson, C. A., Margerison, C., West, M. L., Campbell, K. J., Booth, A., & Grimes, C. A. (2018) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/12234 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“The program focused on constructs that have previously been shown to be related to dietary intake in children, such as self-efficacy [29], intentions (ie, goal setting) [30,31], reinforcements [32], and knowledge [33].”
Gray, H. L., Contento, I. R., Koch, P. A., & Noia, J. D. (2016) · Childhood Obesity · doi:10.1089/chi.2016.0003 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
“Reviews on mediating mechanisms of school-based EBRB interventions have indicated that effective mediators are behavior specific.(3,10) For example, knowledge and attitude,(19) outcome expectancies, and stages of change(20) were significant mediators for fruit and vegetable intake changes in school children and adoles…”
BackgroundBaranowski, T. (2012) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.043349 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“Few mediating variable analyses have been reported (10); lack of significant findings of mediation in our own work has inhibited our submission of such manuscripts for publication.”
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“Further, a recent study [40] that reviewed mediators of dietary behavior change observed that interventions were relatively unsuccessful in changing mediators.”
BackgroundWang, J., Drossaert, C. H. C., Knevel, M., Chen, L., Bohlmeijer, E. T., & Schroevers, M. J. (2025) · Stress and Health · doi:10.1002/smi.70090 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
“Following Cerin et al. (2009), studies scoring 0–3 were considered low‐quality, four to six medium‐quality, and seven to nine high‐quality.”
Soltero, E. G., Ayers, S. L., Avalos, M. R. A., Peña, A., Williams, A. N., Olson, M. L., Konopken, Y. P., Castro, F. G., Arcoleo, K. J., Keller, C. S., et al. (2021) · American Journal of Health Promotion · doi:10.1177/08901171211012951 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
“Future iterations of the intervention should improve the operationalization of this construct to ensure that intervention strategies effectively target this mediator to avoid misinterpretations of the effectiveness of theoretical mediators.(41) Future studies should also more rigorously evaluate theoretical mediators…”
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Lee, H., Moseley, G. L., Hübscher, M., Kamper, S. J., Traeger, A. C., Skinner, I., & McAuley, J. H. (2015) · Journal of physiotherapy · doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2015.03.004 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Leme, A. C. B., & Philippi, S. T. (2014) · Cadernos Saúde Coletiva · doi:10.1590/1414-462x201400030006 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Rodriguez, B. D. R., Hilmers, A., & O'Connor, T. M. (2013) · Journal of nutrition education and behavior · doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2013.04.263 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Vo, T., Cashin, A. G., Superchi, C., Tu, P. H. T., Nguyen, T., Boutron, I., MacKinnon, D. P., VanderWeele, T. J., Lee, H., & Vansteelandt, S. (2021) · Journal of Clinical Epidemiology · doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2021.12.013 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“Table 2 – Characteristics of mediation quality assessment tools in the literature Journal First Author, Year Format Scope defined OA a Item & weights b Scoring range c SSI d Dev/Val/Rel e Freq f Details on the tool construction Preventive Medicine Lubans, 2008 (16) Scale No SS: 0-3: L; 4-6: M; 7-8: H 8, BQ Equal 0 – 8…”
MethodBjoernsbo, K., Riis, N., Andreasen, A., Petersen, J., Lassen, A. D., Trolle, E., Frederiksen, A. K. S., Munk, J. K., & Toft, U. (2019) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph16193532 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
“Within these constructs, we focused on, knowledge [36], self-efficacy [37], intentions (i.”
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Lee, A. R., Ye, L.-Y., Kim, H. J., Kim, K. A., & Kim, K. W. (2016) · doi:10.5720/kjcn.2016.21.3.274 · Cited by 11
“Cerin 등의 연구[28]에서 유아와 어린이의 식이자아효능감이 식행동 변 화에 긍정적인 영향을 준다는 것으로 나타나 본 연구결과와 유사하였다.”
Nutrition Science and Behavioral Theories Integrated in a Serious Game for Adolescents
Majumdar, D., Koch, P. A., Gray, H. L., Contento, I. R., Islas-Ramos, A. D. L., & Fu, D. (2015) · Simulation & Gaming · doi:10.1177/1046878115577163 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
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Keshani, P., Salehi, M., Kaveh, M., & Faghih, S. (2018) · Progress in nutrition · doi:10.23751/pn.v20i2.6711 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“A systematic review study, identified self-efficacy as one of the mechanisms most consistently associated with dietary behavior changes (28).”
Background
- Authors
- Cerin, E., Barnett, A., & Baranowski, T.
- Affiliations
- Agricultural Research Service (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-09
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 309-318
- ISSN
- 1499-4046 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2106714104
- Cited by
- 176
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 16.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
- The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Keywords
- dietary behavior change, youth, school-based intervention, mediation analysis, theory testing, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, theoretical mechanisms, nutrition education
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Behavior Therapy, Child, Child, Preschool, Diet, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Male, Models, Theoretical, Obesity, Patient Education as Topic, Health Behavior
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