Social cognitive mediators of dietary behavior change in adolescent girls

Objectives: To examine potential mediators of adolescent girls' dietary behavior change in the Nutrition and Enjoyable Activity for Teen Girls (NEAT Girls) intervention for obesity prevention. Methods: Participants were 294 adolescent girls attending 12 secondary schools located in low-income communities of New South Wales, Australia. Hypothesized social cognitive mediators of dietary behavior change were assessed using valid and reliable scales. Results: The intervention effects on dietary outcomes and hypothesized mediators were not statistically significant. However, changes in hypothesized mediators were associated with changes in key dietary behaviors. Conclusions: Continued research is needed to examine effective strategies for improving dietary outcomes in youth, and to explore alternative theoretical mechanisms of dietary behavior change.