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. 2025 Aug 23;64(6):266. doi: 10.1007/s00394-025-03772-0

Table 3.

Mediation by adiposity. Direct and indirect relationships for changes in DGI total and sub scores, and changes in adiposity (weight, WC, and BF) on pain outcomes

Analysis Path a
intervention-mediator
coefficient (95% CI)
Path b
mediator-outcome
coefficient (95% CI)
Path c’
direct effect
coefficient (95% CI)
Path (a, b)
indirect effect
coefficient (95% CI)
Proportion mediated
(RIT)a
Diet quality > ∆ weight (kg) > CMP (n = 104)
∆ DGI total − 0.021 (-0.050, 0.008) − 0.220 (− 0.425, − 0.016) − 0.016 (− 0.054, 0.022) 0.005 (− 0.003, 0.012)
∆ DGI core − 0.067 (− 0.138, 0.004) − 0.209 (− 0.411, − 0.007) − 0.020 (− 0.096, 0.056) 0.014 (− 0.006, 0.034)
∆ DGI non-core − 0.014 (− 0.051, 0.022) − 0.211 (− 0.410, -0.011) − 0.016 (− 0.061, 0.029) 0.003 (-0.005, 0.011)
Diet quality > ∆ WC (cm) > CMP (n = 87)
∆ DGI total − 0.025 (− 0.072, 0.022) − 0.157 (− 0.305, − 0.009) − 0.029 (− 0.071, 0.012) 0.003 (− 0.004, 0.012)
∆ DGI core − 0.080 (− 0.191, 0.031) − 0.120 (− 0.253, 0.013) − 0.021 (− 0.099, 0.058) 0.009 (− 0.007, 0.027)
∆ DGI non-core − 0.017 (-0.076, 0.041) − 0.155 (− 0.302, − 0.009) − 0.036 (− 0.085, 0.014) 0.003 (− 0.007, 0.012)
Diet quality > ∆ BF > CMP (n = 82)
∆ DGI total − 0.019 (− 0.039, 0.001) − 0.130 (− 0.487, 0.227) − 0.018 (− 0.056, 0.020) 0.002 (− 0.005, 0.010)
∆ DGI core − 0.059 (− 0.106, -0.013) − 0.088 (− 0.428, 0.252) − 0.003 (− 0.081, 0.074) 0.005 (− 0.015, 0.026)
∆ DGI non-core − 0.013 (− 0.038, 0.012) − 0.132 (− 0.489, 0.225) − 0.027 (− 0.074, 0.020) 0.002 (− 0.004, 0.008)
Diet quality > ∆ weight (kg) > ∆ SF36-BPS (n = 104)
∆ DGI total − 0.021 (− 0.050, 0.008) − 0.972 (− 1.948, 0.003) 0.018 (− 0.136, 0.172) 0.020 (− 0.015, 0.055) 53%
∆ DGI core − 0.067 (− 0.138, 0.004) − 0.911 (− 1.886, 0.064) 0.174 (− 0.206, 0.553) 0.061 (− 0.031, 0.153) 26%
∆ DGI non-core − 0.014 (− 0.051, 0.022) − 1.001 (− 1.970, − 0.032) − 0.015 (− 0.202, 0.172) 0.014 (− 0.024, 0.053)
Diet quality > ∆ WC (cm) > ∆ SF36-BPS (n = 87)
∆ DGI total − 0.025 (− 0.072, 0.022) − 0.613 (− 1.34, 0.115) 0.048 (− 0.121, 0.217) 0.015 (− 0.019, 0.049) 24%
∆ DGI core − 0.080 (− 0.191, 0.031) − 0.554 (− 1.275, 0.167) 0.320 (− 0.082, 0.721) 0.044 (− 0.040, 0.128) 12%
∆ DGI non-core − 0.017 (− 0.076, 0.041) − 0.645 (-1.370, 0.081) − 0.011 (− 0.221, 0.199) 0.011 (− 0.029, 0.051)
Diet quality > ∆ BF > ∆ SF36-BPS (n = 82)
∆ DGI total − 0.019 (− 0.039, 0.001) − 2.369 (− 4.215, − 0.524) 0.012 (− 0.160, 0.184) 0.044 (− 0.014, 0.103) 79%
∆ DGI core − 0.059 (− 0.106, − 0.013) − 2.168 (− 4.036, − 0.299) 0.192 (− 0.226, 0.609) 0.128 (− 0.022, 0.278) 40%
∆ DGI non-core − 0.013 (− 0.038, 0.012) − 2.421 (− 4.241, − 0.601) -0.031 (-0.242, 0.181) 0.032 (-0.034, 0.098)
Diet quality > ∆ weight (kg) > ∆ MPQ (worst site, n = 46)
∆ DGI total − 0.052 (− 0.104, 0.000) − 0.070 (− 0.429, 0.288) − 0.024 (− 0.096, 0.046) 0.003 (− 0.015, 0.023)
∆ DGI core − 0.114 (− 0.228, 0.000) − 0.026 (− 0.383, 0.332) 0.011 (− 0.144, 0.166) 0.003 (− 0.038, 0.044) 21%
∆ DGI non-core − 0.042 (− 0.108, 0.024) − 0.066 (− 0.415, 0.282) − 0.038 (− 0.123, 0.046) 0.003 (− 0.013, 0.018)
Diet quality > ∆ WC (cm) > ∆ MPQ (worst site, n = 39)
∆ DGI total − 0.120 (− 0.200, − 0.040) − 0.072 (− 0.305, 0.160) − 0.057 (− 0.126, 0.013) 0.009 (− 0.020, 0.037)
∆ DGI core − 0.134 (− 0.329, 0.060) 0.009 (− 0.209, 0.227) − 0.020 (− 0.171, 0.131) − 0.001 (− 0.031, 0.028) 6%
∆ DGI non-core − 0.141 (− 0.241, − 0.041) − 0.079 (− 0.309, 0.150) − 0.076 (− 0.159, 0.007) 0.011 (− 0.022, 0.044)
Diet quality > ∆ BF > ∆ MPQ (worst site, n = 37)
∆ DGI total − 0.029 (− 0.062, 0.005) 0.041 (− 0.575, 0.657) − 0.050 (− 0.115, 0.016) − 0.001 (− 0.019, 0.016) 2%
∆ DGI core − 0.053 (− 0.130, 0.022) 0.160 (− 0.468, 0.789) − 0.006 (− 0.161, 0.150) − 0.009 (− 0.045, 0.027) 59%
∆ DGI non-core − 0.028 (− 0.070, 0.014) 0.050 (− 0.549, 0.650) − 0.072 (− 0.152, 0.006) − 0.001 (− 0.019, 0.016) 2%
Diet quality > ∆ weight (kg) > ∆ MPQ (matched site, n = 43)
∆ DGI total − 0.039 (− 0.093, 0.015) − 0.075 (− 0.487, 0.337) − 0.030 (− 0.109, 0.049) 0.003 (− 0.014, 0.019)
∆ DGI core − 0.112 (− 0.228, 0.003) − 0.069 (− 0.490, 0.351) − 0.045 (− 0.223, 0.133) 0.008 (− 0.040, 0.056)
∆ DGI non-core − 0.024 (− 0.095, 0.046) − 0.055 (− 0.460, 0.349) − 0.033 (− 0.132, 0.066) 0.001 (− 0.009, 0.012)
Diet quality > ∆ WC (cm) > ∆ MPQ (matched site, n = 36)
∆ DGI total − 0.099 (− 0.178, − 0.019) − 0.165 (− 0.402, 0.072) − 0.085 (− 0.151, − 0.019) 0.016 (− 0.011, 0.043)
∆ DGI core − 0.141 (− 0.333, 0.050) − 0.095 (− 0.324, 0.134) − 0.158 (− 0.314, − 0.002) 0.013 (− 0.024, 0.050)
∆ DGI non-core − 0.119 (− 0.223, 0.016) − 0.137 (− 0.380, 0.105) − 0.087 (− 0.172, -0.001) 0.016 (− 0.016, 0.049)
Diet quality > ∆ BF > ∆ MPQ (matched site, n = 34)
∆ DGI total − 0.018 (− 0.052, 0.016) 0.083 (− 0.520, 0.687) − 0.073 (− 0.135, − 0.012) − 0.002 (− 0.013, 0.010) 2%
∆ DGI core − 0.050 (− 0.127, 0.028) 0. 096 (− 0.535, 0.727) − 0.131 (− 0.289, 0.027) − 0.005, (− 0.037, 0.027) 4%
∆ DGI non-core − 0.015 (− 0.060, 0.030) 0.134 (− 0.472, 0.741) − 0.086 (− 0.167, − 0.005) − 0.002 (− 0.013, 0.009) 2%

Structural equation modelling (SEM) regression coefficients (95% CI) for exposure-mediator (path a), mediator-outcome (path b), direct (path c’) and indirect (path a, b) relationships. Covariates in the model; age, sex, and baseline values. a Ratio of indirect to total effect (RIT), not provided when direct and indirect in opposite directions. Bold values denote statistical significance at the p < 0.05 level.

BF, percent body fat; BMI, body mass index; CI, confidence interval; DGI, dietary guideline index; MPQ, McGill Pain Questionnaire; SF36-BPS, Short Form-36 bodily pain scale; WC, waist circumference.