Using multi-theory model to predict initiation and sustenance of small portion size consumption among college students

Abstract

Background: Consumption of large portion sizes is contributing to overweight and obesity.College students are a vulnerable group in this regard. The purpose of this study was to use multi-theory model (MTM) to predict initiation and sustenance of small portion size consumption in college students. Methods: A total of 135 students at a large Southern US University completed a 35-item valid (face, content, and construct) and reliable (internally consistent) survey electronically in a cross-sectional design. The main outcome measures were intention to start eating small portion sizes and continuing to eat small portion sizes. Only those students who ate large portion sizes during the past 24 hours were included. Results: Step wise multiple regression showed that initiation of small portion size consumption was explained by participatory dialogue (advantages outweighing disadvantages), behavioral confidence, age, and gender (adjusted R2 = 0.37, P < 0.001). Males were less likely to initiate small portion size consumption than females (β = -0.185, 95% CI = -0.71– -0.11). Regarding sustenance, emotional transformation, changes in social environment, and race were the significant predictors (adjusted R2 = 0.20, P < 0.001). Whites were less likely to sustain small portion size change than other races (β = -0.269, 95% CI = -0.97 – -0.26). Conclusion: Based on this study’s findings, MTM appears to be a robust theoretical framework for predicting small portion size consumption behavior change. Interventions in this regard need to be designed.

Predictors of Responsible Drinking or Abstinence Among College Students Who Binge Drink: A Multitheory Model Approach

“…27 The model represents a 2-component health behavior drinking. The utility of the MTM has been shown to be effective in previous studies with other health behaviors, such as physical activity, 28 adequate sleep, 29 portion size consumption, 30 water consumption instead of sugar-sweetened beverages, 31 and fruit and vegetable consumption. 32 However, to our knowledge, this is the first study to test the predictive ability of the MTM in…”

“…Sustenance MeasuresThree items(28)(29)(30) assessed the first component of the sustenance model, emotional transformation. For example, "How sure are you that you can…'motivate yourself to be alcohol free or drink responsibly every week?'"…”

Factors Associated with Initiation and Sustenance of Stress Management Behaviors in Veterinary Students: Testing of Multi-Theory Model (MTM)

“…The MTM model incorporates multiple different socio-behavioral theories, highlighting the strengths of each and bringing them together into a model of two components-initiation and sustenance of health behavior change. This model has already been tested on college student populations regarding the prediction of initiation and sustenance of health behavior changes such as a reduction in binge-drinking, increase in eating fruits and vegetables, improvement in sleep behaviors, increased physical activity, and portion size control [17][18][19][20][21]. Ideally, the MTM should work well among veterinary students for predicting initiation and sustenance of health behavior change because it is both specific for health education and sustainable for long-term change.…”

Applying multi-theory model of health behaviour change to address implicit biases in public health

“…15 MTM has also been applied to promote water consumption behaviour instead of sugar sweetened beverages where about 62% of the variance in the initiation was explained by behavioural confidence and changes in the physical environment and about 58% of the variance in the sustenance was explained by emotional transformation and practice for change. 16 Another application of MTM has been with predicting adequate sleep behaviour where for initiation the construct of behavioural confidence was found to be significant and accounted for about 24% of the variance while for sustenance changes in social environment, emotional transformation and practice for change were significant and accounted for about 34% of the variance.…”

“…The theory is new and in its initial applications to physical activity behaviour, portion size behaviour, water consumption behaviour and sleep behaviour has shown very good predictability. [14][15][16][17] The first construct responsible for initiating behaviour change is the construct of participatory dialogue derived from Freirean model of adult education. 18 Murray-Garcia and colleagues also advocate the importance of dialogue in the context of removing implicit biases.…”