Open AccessTHE HEALTHY EATING GOAL-SETTING AND THE PLANNING AND SCHEDULING SCALES FOR MEASURING SELF-REGULATION FOR HEALTHY EATING
Author(s) -
Truls Østbye,
Marissa Stroo,
Kayla Stankevitz,
Rahul Malhotra,
Rebecca J. Namenek Brouwer
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
gestão e sociedade
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1980-5756
DOI - 10.21171/ges.v12i31.2319
Subject(s) - cronbach's alpha , psychology , psychological intervention , healthy eating , eating behavior , goal setting , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , physical activity , obesity , psychometrics , social psychology , medicine , physical therapy , psychiatry
Objectives: Healthy eating is a central target in many obesity interventions. Self-regulation is supported by theory and research as a key factor in behavior change. While a measure of self-regulation for physical activity has been developed, no such measure exists to quantify self-regulation for healthy eating. The aim of this research was to develop and validate two scales, one for Goal-setting (HEGS), and one for Planning and Scheduling (HEPS), for measuring self-regulation for healthy eating.Methods: The scales were modeled after similar scales for self-regulation of physical activity and administered to 550 participants with obesity in a workplace weight management program at two timepoints. Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlations were used to investigate structural and criterion-related validity respectively.Results: PCA indicated that HEGS contained one single factor corresponding to goal-setting, and HEPS two factors relating to planning. All displayed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient>0.7). The scales demonstrated strong criterion-related validity, evidenced by significant association with antecedents and consequences of self-regulation.Conclusions: The scales for measuring self-regulation for healthy eating showed good internal consistency, structural validity, and criterion-related validity. They can be used to assess self-regulation in interventions, and to investigate interaction between self-regulation and healthy eating behavior change.