Validation of the Brazilian version of the processes of change questionnaire in weight management in adults with overweight and obesity in Brazil

Abstract Background In Brazil, 57.5% of men and 62.6% of women are considered overweight, highlighting obesity as a public health issue. Obesity increases the risk of various chronic diseases, and most people struggle to maintain weight loss in the long term. The Transtheoretical Model is an approac...

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Main Authors: Quênia de Carvalho, Paola Rampelotto Ziani, Bruno Braga Montezano, Jeferson Ferraz Goularte, Adriane R Rosa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13098-025-01613-y
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author Quênia de Carvalho
Paola Rampelotto Ziani
Bruno Braga Montezano
Jeferson Ferraz Goularte
Adriane R Rosa
author_facet Quênia de Carvalho
Paola Rampelotto Ziani
Bruno Braga Montezano
Jeferson Ferraz Goularte
Adriane R Rosa
author_sort Quênia de Carvalho
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background In Brazil, 57.5% of men and 62.6% of women are considered overweight, highlighting obesity as a public health issue. Obesity increases the risk of various chronic diseases, and most people struggle to maintain weight loss in the long term. The Transtheoretical Model is an approach that considers readiness for behavioral change, and questionnaires like the Process of Change Questionnaire (P-Weight), and the Stages of Change Questionnaire (S-Weight) have been developed to assess these changes in weight management. This study aims to analyze the adapted version of the P-Weight in Brazil, relate stages and processes of change, and investigate its correlation with external measures related to eating disorders. Methods A total of 656 adults participated in the study, including people in weight loss treatment and people from the general community. All participants responded to the P-Weight), the S-Weight, and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), which assesses the risk of eating disorders used as a measure of external validity. Socio-demographic variables were also investigated. Results The 33-item P-weight questionnaire showed satisfactory psychometric properties with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.959). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a 4-factor model similar to the original Spanish version of P-Weight with a slight rearrangement of the items (KMO = 0.92, df (528, n = 328) = 8,401.015; p < 0.0001). We found significant associations between processes and stages of change (p < 0.001) and a moderate correlation between the four subscales of P-weight and EAT-26 (p < 0.001). Finally, the mean score of P-Weight was higher in the clinical sample compared to the general community, suggesting the sensitivity to discriminate cases and controls (p < 0.001). Conclusion This study showed the validity and reliability of the Brazilian version of the P-Weight scale. Therefore, the P-Weight is readily available to help professionals employ precision interventions for weight loss considering the patient’s motivational stage in combination with their individual use of the cognitive processes of change.
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spelling doaj-art-fd7e4e6aa049408e9466fe5690b17f652025-08-20T03:46:12ZengBMCDiabetology & Metabolic Syndrome1758-59962025-07-0117111110.1186/s13098-025-01613-yValidation of the Brazilian version of the processes of change questionnaire in weight management in adults with overweight and obesity in BrazilQuênia de Carvalho0Paola Rampelotto Ziani1Bruno Braga Montezano2Jeferson Ferraz Goularte3Adriane R Rosa4Graduation Program in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)Graduation Program in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Experimental Research Center, Hospital Clinic of Porto Alegre (HCPA), University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)Graduation Program in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)Graduation Program in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)Abstract Background In Brazil, 57.5% of men and 62.6% of women are considered overweight, highlighting obesity as a public health issue. Obesity increases the risk of various chronic diseases, and most people struggle to maintain weight loss in the long term. The Transtheoretical Model is an approach that considers readiness for behavioral change, and questionnaires like the Process of Change Questionnaire (P-Weight), and the Stages of Change Questionnaire (S-Weight) have been developed to assess these changes in weight management. This study aims to analyze the adapted version of the P-Weight in Brazil, relate stages and processes of change, and investigate its correlation with external measures related to eating disorders. Methods A total of 656 adults participated in the study, including people in weight loss treatment and people from the general community. All participants responded to the P-Weight), the S-Weight, and the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), which assesses the risk of eating disorders used as a measure of external validity. Socio-demographic variables were also investigated. Results The 33-item P-weight questionnaire showed satisfactory psychometric properties with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.959). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed a 4-factor model similar to the original Spanish version of P-Weight with a slight rearrangement of the items (KMO = 0.92, df (528, n = 328) = 8,401.015; p < 0.0001). We found significant associations between processes and stages of change (p < 0.001) and a moderate correlation between the four subscales of P-weight and EAT-26 (p < 0.001). Finally, the mean score of P-Weight was higher in the clinical sample compared to the general community, suggesting the sensitivity to discriminate cases and controls (p < 0.001). Conclusion This study showed the validity and reliability of the Brazilian version of the P-Weight scale. Therefore, the P-Weight is readily available to help professionals employ precision interventions for weight loss considering the patient’s motivational stage in combination with their individual use of the cognitive processes of change.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13098-025-01613-yP-WeightS-WeightTranstheoretical modelPsychometryWeight loss
spellingShingle Quênia de Carvalho
Paola Rampelotto Ziani
Bruno Braga Montezano
Jeferson Ferraz Goularte
Adriane R Rosa
Validation of the Brazilian version of the processes of change questionnaire in weight management in adults with overweight and obesity in Brazil
Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome
P-Weight
S-Weight
Transtheoretical model
Psychometry
Weight loss
title Validation of the Brazilian version of the processes of change questionnaire in weight management in adults with overweight and obesity in Brazil
title_full Validation of the Brazilian version of the processes of change questionnaire in weight management in adults with overweight and obesity in Brazil
title_fullStr Validation of the Brazilian version of the processes of change questionnaire in weight management in adults with overweight and obesity in Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Validation of the Brazilian version of the processes of change questionnaire in weight management in adults with overweight and obesity in Brazil
title_short Validation of the Brazilian version of the processes of change questionnaire in weight management in adults with overweight and obesity in Brazil
title_sort validation of the brazilian version of the processes of change questionnaire in weight management in adults with overweight and obesity in brazil
topic P-Weight
S-Weight
Transtheoretical model
Psychometry
Weight loss
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13098-025-01613-y
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