Understanding self-reported staging of dietary behavior in low-income women.

This study examined self-reported staging for the goal of eating a low-fat diet and several specific dietary consumption behaviors to understand better readiness for dieting. Self-assessed motivation, food frequency measures, and psychosocial variables were obtained from 2057 low-income women enrolled in the Maryland Food for Life Program. Results indicated that staging of specific dietary consumption behaviors was significantly related to staging for the global goal of eating a low-fat diet. Women evaluate their motivation about eating low-fat diets based on perceived efforts and specific activities related to dietary consumption with important implications for dietary behavior change measurement and interventions.