Secondary analysis
weight loss
We observed a high level of variability in the weight regain prevention outcomes. We hypothesized that the psychological processes would predict weight change differently according to the participant’s body weight change. To categorize this variability, we created three groups following known criteria [The hypothesized path model tested predicted 8.6% of the weight change variance in participants who successfully lost weight (Summary of the group's path analysisThe italic represent the weight regain processesInterestingly, in participants who successfully lost weight, only one putative path was significant, while in participants who maintained, the number of significant paths increased to three. Furthermore, in participants who regained, the number of significant paths was even higher (six). In this group, a total mediation was observed in the needs satisfaction model, in that increased needs satisfaction improved weight loss via increases in action plans and action control. It seems that the putative psychosocial processes played a lesser role when participants were able to lose weight. The role of the processes increased in the maintenance group and even more in the regain group, where they appear to be more critical in understanding the psychosocial processes involving weight regain.