A commentary on current practice in mediating variable analyses in behavioural nutrition and physical activity
Open accessAbstract
Objective: To critique current practice in, and provide recommendations for, mediating variable analyses (MVA) of nutrition and physical activity behaviour change. Strategy: Theory-based behavioural nutrition and physical activity interventions aim at changing mediating variables that are hypothesized to be responsible for changes in the outcome of interest. MVA are useful because they help to identify the most promising theoretical approaches, mediators and intervention components for behaviour change. However, the current literature suggests that MVA are often inappropriately conducted, poorly understood and inadequately presented. Main problems encountered in the published literature are explained and suggestions for overcoming weaknesses of current practice are proposed. Conclusion: The use of the most appropriate, currently available methods of MVA, and a correct, comprehensive presentation and interpretation of their findings, is of paramount importance for understanding how obesity can be treated and prevented.
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A statistically significant total effect of X on Y is not necessary for mediation to occur and mediation analysis does not require evidence of a total effect prior to investigating direct and indirect effects.
“Note that a statistically significant total effect of X on Y is not necessary for mediation to occur and that mediation analysis does not require evidence of a total effect prior to investigating direct and indirect effects [63–66].”
From Acceptance as a Mediator for Change in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Persons with Chronic Pain? (2016) · cites this paper as [63]
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- Authors
- Cerin, E., & MacKinnon, D. P.
- Affiliations
- Baylor College of Medicine (US)
- Arizona State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cerin, Ester
- Venue
- Public Health Nutrition
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2009-08
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1182-1188
- ISSN
- 1368-9800 (ISSN-L)
- 1475-2727
- PMC
- PMC4207270
- OpenAlex
- W2110844196
- Cited by
- 210
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 9.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Public Health Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
- The HKU Scholars Hub (University of Hong Kong) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA009757)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Advanced Causal Inference Techniques
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Keywords
- mediation analysis, physical activity interventions, behavior change, obesity prevention, obesity treatment
- MeSH terms
- Diet, Health Promotion, Humans, Patient Education as Topic, Statistics as Topic, Program Evaluation, Health Behavior, Exercise, Biomedical Research
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