Factors Affecting Overweight Prevention Behavior of HuaHin Hospital Personnel

Abstract

Background: Overweight can cause major health problems. It is also a risk factor for developing other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer, as well as an increase in premature death.

Objectives: To study the behavior of Hua Hin Hospital personnel in preventing overweight and the factors that affect their behavior.

Method: A descriptive study was conducted among Hua Hin Hospital personnel. 300 people were sampled through a stratified random sampling method based on professional proportion. Data was collected using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Hypotheses were tested using the T-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient.

Results: Most personnel were female (78%), aged less than 35 years (53.3%), had a bachelor's degree (66%), and were single (53%). In terms of body mass index, 17.3% were overweight (BMI 23.00-24.99 kg/m²), 24.0% were in the first level of obesity (BMI 25.00-29.99 kg/m²), and 15.7% were in the second level of obesity (BMI 30.00 kg/m²). Overall, the level of prevention behavior for overweight is moderate. The level of social support overall is low. It was found that body mass index affects overweight prevention behavior (p=.046), and social support has a positive correlation with behavior to prevent overweight, r=.413 (p<0.01). The overweight prevention behavior is not affected by gender, age, education, or status.

Conclusions: Personnel should receive social support, which is positively related to overweight prevention behaviors, to promote their health status. In particular, increasing social support, emotional and informational support, which are at a low level, and material support, which is at a moderate level, can create behavioral changes to prevent overweight.