The goal of this study was to examine whether strategies such as planning and self-monitoring the quality/quantity of eating can explain the relationships between autonomous and controlled motivation and eating in undergraduate female students. Study 1 (n = 456) examined whether the strategies could account for additional variance in eating outcomes beyond the influence of motivation, and whether the strategies mediated the relationships between motivation and eating. Study 2 (n = 979) replicated the results within structural equation models. Autonomous motivation was positively associated with planning and self-monitoring eating quality, and these strategies were then positively and negatively associated with healthy and unhealthy eating, respectively. In contrast, controlled motivation was positively associated with planning and self-monitoring eating quantity, and these strategies were then positively associated with bulimic symptoms. Findings provide insight into the mechanisms by which different motivations relate to distinct eating outcomes and suggest that promoting eating quality may be more beneficial for adopting healthy eating behaviors.

本研究的目的是检查诸如计划和自我监控饮食质量/数量等策略是否可以解释大学生自主和受控动机与饮食之间的关系。研究 1 (n = 456) 检查了这些策略是否可以解释超出动机影响的饮食结果的额外差异，以及这些策略是否调节了动机和饮食之间的关系。研究 2 (n = 979) 在结构方程模型中复制了结果。自主动机与计划和自我监控饮食质量呈正相关，然后这些策略分别与健康和不健康饮食呈正相关和负相关。相比之下，控制动机与计划和自我监控饮食量呈正相关，然后这些策略与暴食症状呈正相关。研究结果提供了对不同动机与不同饮食结果相关的机制的洞察，并表明提高饮食质量可能更有利于采用健康的饮食行为。