Effects of A Food Consumption Behaviors Development Program for Hypertensive Risk at Sichomphu District, Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

The objectives of this quasi- experimental research were to study an effects of a Food Consumption Behaviors Development Program for hypertensive risk at Sichomphu District, Khon Kaen Province. The sample comprised people with hypertensive risk, who had blood pressure between 130-139/80-89 mmHg, male and female, aged 35-60 years, and who had not been previously diagnosed with hypertension by a doctor. The experimental group who had characteristic within the inclusion criteria were selected by the simple sampling technique, the comparison group were selected with similar sex, age, body mass index and blood pressure, 31 persons in each group.The experimental tool was the Food Consumption Behaviors Development Program for hypertensive risk based on the health belief model. The data collection tools were: 1) a questionnaire with 3 parts, 2)digital sphygmomanometer, 3)digital scale and 4)measuring tape. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, paired t–test, independent t–test, Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Signed Ranks test, and Mann–Whitney U test.

The results showed that: after the experiment, (1) scores of perceived susceptibility and severity of hypertension, perceived self-efficacy about food consumption behavior, and perceived benefits of food consumption behavior of the experimental group were significantly higher than before the experiment and the comparison group(p<0.05). Scores for perceived barriers to food consumption behavior were significantly lower than before the experiment and the comparison group (p<0.05). Food consumption behavior scores were significantly higher than before the experiment and increased more than those of the comparison group (p<0.05) (2) The systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the experimental group were significantly lower than before the experiment and the comparison group (p<0.05). Body mass index and waist circumference of the experimental group were significantly lower than before the experiment (p<0.05), but not different from the comparison group.