Social support as a predictor of dietary change in a low-income population

Abstract

Social support has been found to predict success with health behavior change but, as yet, few studies examine the relationship between social support and dietary change in a low-income population. We developed a social support for dietary change measure for a low-income, hypercholesterolemic population and tested its predictive utility in a clinical trial with a dietary intervention. Questions were administered by telephone to 443 patients enrolled in the trial. Dietary change was measured by the Dietary Risk Assessment Factor analysis revealed three social support factors: friend, family and negative support, and a fourth factor, motivation to change. Multiple regression analysis revealed that motivation to change was predictive of change to a less atherogenic diet Results of a gender-stratified analysis revealed that friend support was a significant predictor of dietary change for women but not for men.