Do psychological and social factors change the response to lifestyle programs?
A scoping review found varied evidence and could not identify a general pattern for lifestyle interventions intended to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review asked whether factors such as motivation, social support, or mental health influence how well lifestyle programs work. Studies examined many different factors and outcomes, making general conclusions difficult. The abstract does not identify a reliable psychological or social profile that predicts benefit, or establish which program should be selected for an individual.
This abstract-based account reflects a review limited by differences in populations, designs, and measurements. The authors also identify a shortage of adequately sized trials with long follow-up and suitable analyses of differences in intervention effects.
The question concerns differences in response
Researchers looked for characteristics that might alter an intervention's effect. Their categories included motivation, relationships, mental health, personality, and cognition. This question goes beyond whether those characteristics are simply associated with healthier behavior.
Outcomes and measurements varied
Studies mostly assessed behaviors or body weight, with cardiovascular risk scores also represented. Many did not use validated measures of psychological or social factors, further limiting what can be concluded across the collected research.
The original publication
Psychosocial moderators of the effect of lifestyle interventions in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a scoping review.
Andersson J, De Smidt MF, Sundström AE et al.
BMC Public Health · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40885900
- Record checked
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