Contributing factors affecting eating self-efficacy in behavioral weight loss treatment: a systematic literature review

One of the major health problems among adults is the increase in the prevalence of obesity. Behavioral weight loss treatment should be the first line of intervention for individuals, who are overweight or obese. The process of achieving a healthy weight is difficult and influenced by a number of factors. Self-efficacy is suggested to be the main and the most proximal predictor and antecedent of health behavior. The purpose of the thesis was to increase knowledge about which contributing factors affect and how they affect eating self-efficacy in behavioral weight loss treatment. The thesis was conducted as a systematic literature review. The data synthesis was executed using a thematic synthesis method created for qualitative research. As a result of the thesis, five contributing factors that affect eating self-efficacy in behavioral weight loss treatment were identified. These factors are previous weight loss history, performance attainment, treatment attendance, physical activity, and improved eating. The thesis also identified how factors affect eating self-efficacy. Individuals, who have previous weight loss history, indicate in the baseline of the treatment lower eating self-efficacy than individuals with no previous attempts regardless of whether the weight loss attempts were successful or failed. Performance attainment, which in the context of obesity treatment appears as successful weight loss, fosters the improvement of eating self-efficacy. Treatment attendance is highly positively correlated with changes in eating self-efficacy and the relationship is likely bidirectional. Physical activity contributes positively with changes in eating self-efficacy and the relation of physical activity and eating self-efficacy is powered by improved eating. Changes in improved eating and changes in eating self-efficacy have a reciprocal relationship emanating from changes in volume of physical activity. The thesis findings have increased knowledge in the area and the emerged knowledge has been connected to the theoretical basement. The results have highlighted potential for future research into the role of the contributing factors and their effects on eating self-efficacy in behavioral weight loss treatment