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Abstract
Objective: Long-term rehabilitation success depends on regular exercise and healthy nutrition. The present study introduces a new framework to explain this association on a psychosocial level. The exercise–nutrition relationship was investigated by exploring the sequential mediation of habit strength and transfer cognitions.
Design: Analyses were performed at two measurement points in time (at 12 and 18 months after rehabilitation), involving 470 medical rehabilitation patients who participated in an exercise intervention.
Main outcome measures: Patients filled in paper-pencil questionnaires assessing exercise (t1) and habit strength, transfer cognitions and healthy nutrition at follow-up (t2).
Results: Habit strength and transfer cognitions mediated the relationship between exercise and nutrition.
Conclusion: Findings suggest that habit strength and transfer cognitions are important factors underlying the relationship between exercise and nutrition.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the rehabilitation clinics and their patients for participating in this study. We especially appreciate the support of Mrs Pimmer, Dr Kiwus, Dr Glatz, Dr Milse and Dr Johnigk. None of the authors have any conflicting interests. clinicalTrial ID:NCT00979719; protocol id: 8011-106-31/31.91
Funding
This work has been funded by the Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund (DRV; German Pension Insurance) within the project FABA (Project ID 8011-106-31/31.91).