Applying the stages-of-change model to dietary change.

The transtheoretical model of behavior change ("Stages of Change") was first proposed by Prochaska and DiClemente 14 years ago. It was originally developed by observing smokers who were planning or attempting to give up smoking. It has since been applied to behaviors other than smoking, and several recently published papers have examined its application in the area of dietary change. The complexity of dietary change, however, has made it more difficult to apply the model in this area. Studies applying the model to diet have differed in terms of the aspect of diet being examined, as well as the staging algorithms and dietary assessment methodology used. Such differences in methodology have led to variable results and have made it difficult to interpret results obtained. This review summarizes the studies in this area and makes recommendations for future research.