Effect of Exercise Program for Weight Control in the Fifth Grade Students with Overweight *

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research was aimed to study the effect of an exercise program for
weight control among the fifth grade students from two schools under the Private Education
Commission, Bang-rug District, Bangkok Metropolis. The samples were 40 students with overweight, 20
students each in the experimental and the comparison group. The experimental had participated in the
program applying self-efficacy theory, group process and social support concepts to promote an
exercise. The program session was conducted for 50 minutes, once a week, and lasts for 8 weeks.
The comparison group received the traditional education from their shool. Data collection was performed
using a set of questionnaire developed by the researcher, before and after the intervention. The data
were analyzed by computing percentage, arithmatic mean, standard deviation, Paired Sample t-test
and Independent t-test.
The research results reveal that after the intervention the experimental group gained
significantly higher levels of perceived self-efficacy, expectation of the benefits from exercise, and
exercise behavior (p< 0.001) than before the intervention. When comparing between groups, it was
found that after the intervention the significantly higher levels of perceived self-efficacy and
expectation of the benefits from exercise were found among the experimental group comparing to the
comparison group (p<0.001), but the knowledge and exercise behavior was not difference. The
exercise program for weight control was found to be effective in changing perceived self-efficacy,
expectation of the benefits from exercise for weight control and exercise behavior. Recommendations
are that the school administrators should continue this exercise program and provide the program for
other class levels by developing this program relevantly with students’ age levels.