Factors Related to Weight Control Behaviors Among Female Adults Who are Over-Nutrition at Tambon Health Promotion Hospital, Na Tham Nheu, Trang Province

Abstract

           This research aimed to examine the relationship among bio-social factors, predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors and health behaviors among female adults who are over-nutrition. The Precede-Proceed Model was used to guide the study. A sample of 226 over-nutrition female adults between 20-60 years of age at Tambon Health Promotion Hospital (THPH), Na Tham Nheu, Trang Province was recruited. The five-part research tool modified from Sakon Seethakul’s questionnaires were used. All shown acceptable evidence of reliability, and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of .89. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Correlation Coefficients were used to analyze the data.

         The finding showed that most of the participants were aged between 30-39 years old (59.4%) income between 5000-10,000 Baht (71.8%) BMI = 25.00-27.99 kg/m² (41.4%) Cook at home (75.2%) and doing labor job (75.6%) The study showed that: 

        1. The average level of weight control behaviors among the participants was moderate (M = 3.17, SD= .65), while those of the predisposing (M = 3.89, SD= .49), enabling (M = 3.79, SD = .61), and reinforcing factors (M = 3.75 SD = .64) were high. 

        2. Factors statistically significantly related to obesity prevention behaviors at p<.05 were age and income (bio-social factors); perceived barriers in obesity prevention (predisposing factors); food distribution and fitness, or places for exercise in their community (enabling factors); and information awareness (reinforcing factors). The positive association between obesity prevention behaviors and information awareness was moderate (r= .38, p<.01), while those of obesity prevention behaviors and food distribution, fitness or places for exercise in their community, perceived barriers in obesity prevention, and age were low level (r=.244, p<.01, r=.221, p<.01, r=.143, p<.01, r=.136, p<.05 respectively). A low negative relationship was found between obesity prevention behaviors and income (r= -.294, p<.01). 

          3. BMI, perceived risk for obesity, perceived severity of obesity, and perceived benefit of control behaviors were not statistically significantly associated with control behaviors among the participants of this study. 

           The study suggested that to promote obesity preventive behaviors among female adults with over-nutrition, the community should make a well-equipped fitness center and healthy food distribution available. Additionally, there should have community service providing relevant information; alleviating the barriers in obesity prevention should be done in the community.