Adolescent Girls Insight on Prevention and Management of
Obesity

Bhavya SV* and Ambika K

doi:10.23880/nhij-16000254

Nursing & Healthcare International Journal Research Article 4 min read

Adolescent Girls Insight on Prevention and Management of Obesity

Bhavya SV* and Ambika K^*

^* Corresponding author

ISSN: 2575-9981 10.23880/nhij-16000254 Received: November 15, 2021 Published: December 20, 2021

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3 references

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Keywords

Knowledge Obesity Lifestyle Adolescent girls

Abstract

Background of the Study: Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A crude population measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI), a person’s weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of his or her height (in metres). A person with a BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obese. A person with a BMI equal to or more than 25 is considered overweight. Obesity result from increased caloric intake that consistently exceeds caloric requirements. Change in life style practices including increasing consumption of oily, junk food, decreased physical activities, watching and playing video games for prolonged duration etc. are the most important factors in causing childhood obesity. Aim and Objectives: The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge of adolescent girls on prevention and management of obesity in selected schools. Approach and Design: The descriptive study approach was used. Sampling and Sampling Criteria: Simple Random Probabality sampling technique was used to select 120 adolescent girls from selected schools at Mysuru. Tools and Technique: Structured knowledge questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: Result revealed that majority 50(41.66%) adolescent girls had average knowledge, 40(33.33%) girls had good knowledge and 30(25%) girls had poor knowledge. Chi-square analysis revealed that the knowledge and personal variables are not significantly associated with their selected personal variables like age, class of studying, source of information and familial history of obesity. Conclusion: It was concluded that, adolescent girls have average knowledge; hence the knowledge was reinforced by providing information pamphlet to the adolescent girls that contains essential information regarding the causes, consequences, prevention and management of obesity.

Introduction

Overweight and obesity in childhood are known to have significant impact on both physical and psychological health.

Overweight and obese children are likely to stay obese into adulthood and more likely to develop non-communicable disease at a younger age. The mechanism of obesity development is not fully understood and it is believed to be a disorder with multiple causes [1]. Environmental factors, lifestyle preferences and cultural environment play pivotal roles in the rising prevalence of obesity worldwide. The central physical cause of over weightiness’ and obesity is the imbalance of energy intake from food and energy expended through physical activity. Obesity is a growing epidemic, but prevention efforts have not been successful. To a great extent, this is due to the challenging task of changing the way people eat, move, and live.

Statement of the Problem

A study to assess the knowledge of adolescent girls on prevention and management of obesity in selected Schools, Mysuru, with a view to develop a health information pamphlet.

Objectives

1. To assess the level of knowledge of adolescent girls on prevention and management of obesity in selected Schools at Mysuru, by using structured knowledge questionnaire. 2. To find the association between the knowledge level of adolescent girls on prevention and management of obesity with their selected personal variables.

Hypothesis

The following hypothesis is tested at the significance level of 0.05 H1: There will be a significant association between knowledge level of adolescent girls on prevention and management of obesity with their selected personal variables [2].

Variables

The variables includes in the study are:- • Study variables: Knowledge on prevention and management of obesity.

• Extraneous variables: Selected personal variables such as age, class of studying, source of information, familial history of obesity, height, weight, BMI.

Population

Adolescent girls are population.

Sample and Sampling

In this study 120 adolescent girls were selected by Simple Random Probability sampling technique. The present study was conducted in selected schools, Mysuru.

Sampling Criteria

Inclusion criteria Adolescent girls who were

Present during data collection
Willing to participate in research study Exclusion criteria: The adolescent girls who were sick and not able to participate in study.

Data Collection Method

The study samples were administered with structured knowledge questionnaire along with proforma for personal variables and data were collected.

Plan of Data Analysis

Data was planned to the analyze using descriptive and inferential statistics. Data obtained was planned to be coded and edited to reduce the large data into a master sheet.

Frequency and percentage to describe the sample characteristics.
Mean, Median, standard deviation to analyze the knowledge score of adolescent girls on prevention and management of obesity [3].
Chi- square test will be used to find the association between the knowledge of adolescent girls on prevention and management of obesity with their selected personal variables (Table 1).

	Sample Characteristics	Frequency
Age in year
10	40	33.33
11	40	33.33
12	40	33.33
Class of studying	40	33.33
V	40	33.33
VI	40	33.33
VII	40	33.33
Source of information	40	33.33
Books	15	12.5
Health care professionals	20	16.66
Media	50	41.66
Family /friends	35	21.16
Family history of obesity	35	21.16
Yes	23	19.16
No	97	80.83

Table 1: Frequency and percentage of adolescent girls of Selected school according to their selected Personal variables.

Knowledge Level of Adolescent Girls on Prevention and Management of Obesity Total knowledge score ranged from 0-30. The knowledge score were further divided as Poor (0-15), Average (16-21), Good (22-30). The findings were presented in Table 2.

n=120

Knowledge Score	Frequency(f)	Percentage (%)
Poor	30	25
Average	50	41.66
Good	20	33.34

Table 2: n=120

• Association between the Level of Knowledge of Adolescent Girls on Prevention and Management of Obesity with Their Selected Personal Variables The significant association was not found between levels of knowledge of adolescent girls with their selected personal variables.

Nursing Implications

Nursing practices It is the responsibility of community health nurse to educate the school children to update the knowledge regarding causes, consequences, prevention and management of obesity.

Nursing education Education is a key component to update the knowledge of the individual. Education in nursing as a vital role to play. Including education regarding obesity and life style practices in the curriculum of nursing education may help nursing students to learn importance of life style management to maintain the community health.

Limitations

The limitations of the study are,

To the selected samples
Assessed knowledge with structured knowledge questionnaire
The selected school adolescent girls.

Recommendations

The following recommendation were based on the result of the study

A large scale study can be conducted to generalize the findings.
A correlation study can be done on knowledge & life style practices among obese children in a large population.

References

WHO (2021) Obesity, World Health Organisation.
Ben SE, Ben-Natan M, Ehrenfeld M (2009) Childhood obesity current literature, policy and implications for practice. PubMed: Australia 56(2): 166-173.
Swathi G, Adhav PS, Landge J, Thakor N (2015) Prevalence of obesity and overweight among school children. IJRMS Publication: punecity 3(12): 459-462.

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