Fat Reduction Efforts A 24-Month Longitudinal Comparison of a Large Sample of Maintainers, Relapsers, and Non-Changers

This research examined dynamic transtheoretical model (TTM) constructs for dietary fat reduction. This secondary data analysis pooled three large population-based TTM-tailored school, worksite, medical, and home-based intervention studies and examined use of constructs across three groups organized by longitudinal progress (dynatypes): Maintainers, Relapsers, and Stable Non-Changers. The criteria for successful change, at the time, were that less than 30% of calories came from fat. A total of 2,718 adults met criteria for an unhealthy diet at baseline. The majority of participants were female, White, married, and middle-aged. Demographics, Stage of Change, Processes of Change, Decisional Balance, and Temptations were measured. Dynatype groups were assessed with reliable and valid scales assessing constructs at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months. Analyses included a multivariate analysis of variance followed by a series of analyses of variance, with Tukey follow-up tests assessing differences in use of TTM ...