Process Evaluation of Project WebHealth: a Nondieting Web-based Intervention for Obesity Prevention in College Students

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2013

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the motivational effect of the Project WebHealth study procedures and intervention components on weight-related health behavior changes in male and female college students.
DESIGN: Process evaluation.
SETTING: Eight universities in the United States.
PARTICIPANTS: Project WebHealth participants (n = 653; 29% men).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants rated motivational effects of study procedures and intervention components. Participants were grouped into outcome-based health behavior categories based on achievement of desired targets for fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, and/or body weight.
ANALYSIS: Differences in motivation from each procedure and component were analyzed by gender- and outcome-based health behavior category.
RESULTS: Women were generally more motivated than men. Compared to those who did not meet any target health behaviors, men with improved health outcomes (68%) were significantly more motivated by the skills to fuel the body lesson, goal setting, and research snippets. Their female counterparts (63%) were significantly more motivated by the lessons on body size and eating enjoyment, and by the suggested weekly activities.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Specific study procedures and components of Project WebHealth motivated study participants to improve their weight-related health behaviors, and they differed by gender. Findings support the need for gender-tailored interventions in this population.

Publication Title

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

Volume

45

Issue

4

First Page

288

Last Page

295

PMCID

23410994

DOI of Published Version

10.1016/j.jneb.2012.10.001

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