Research paper
Verheijden MW, Bakx JC, van Weel C, Koelen MA, van Staveren WA. Role of social support in lifestyle-focused weight management interventions. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2005 Aug;59 Suppl 1:S179-86. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602194
Why we cite it
Review of social support’s role in lifestyle-focused weight management interventions. Introduces a key distinction between structural support (availability of support-givers — e.g., peer groups, buddy systems, family involvement) and functional support (perceived quality and helpfulness of support relationships). The central finding is that functional support shows a stronger correlation with health outcomes than structural support, yet most interventions focus on structural approaches. Also notes that social support can sometimes impede behavior change through enabling or undermining efforts. Highlights that most studies poorly defined and measured social support, limiting comparability.
About the author
Marieke W. Verheijden — PhD (Wageningen University, The Netherlands). Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University. Senior researcher in health promotion, behaviour change, and lifestyle. ~4,800 citations. Later moved to TNO (Dutch applied research organization). Research focused on social support interventions, dietary behavior change, and web-based health promotion.
Wija A. van Staveren (last author) — Professor of Nutrition in the Elderly, Department of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University. Research: geriatric nutrition, dietary patterns. Led the SENECA/EURONUT studies (European multicenter study of nutrition and aging, 2,586 subjects across 19 towns). Supervised Verheijden’s PhD.
Co-authors include Chris van Weel (internationally prominent family medicine researcher, Radboud University Nijmegen) and Maria A. Koelen (health promotion, Wageningen University).