Kentucky State University
Body Weight Status and Willingness to Adopt Healthy Eating and Activity Behaviors Among Kentucky Adults
Institution
Kentucky State University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Changzheng Wang; Lingyu Huang; Cecil Butler
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess how body weight perception might be related to willingness to adopt healthy eating and activity behaviors among Kentucky adults. Visitors to the 2011 Kentucky State Fair were recruited to fill out a questionnaire before they were given a free analysis of their body composition (body fat %) with a Tanita TBF-521 body composition analyzer. Among the 248 participants, 68% were female and 32% were male. Majority of people with normal body weight considered themselves within the normal weight range. Sixty four percent of overweight men considered themselves normal and 77% of obese men considered themselves only overweight. Fifteen percent of normal weight women considered themselves overweight, but only 21% of overweight women considered themselves normal and 51% of obese women put themselves in the overweight category. About 80% of the participants would choose vegetables or fruits and nuts for snacks but 30% of the obese group would choose chips for a snack. Nearly72% of the participants thought bad eating habits were responsible for their weight problem but only 10% thought low physical activity was to blame. Nearly 70% of the participants would learn to prepare vegetable dishes on their own but only 14% would do so by attending free workshops. Approximately 72% of participants were willing to add physical activities to their daily life such as walking but only 10% was willing to join a free club for exercise and 10% of the obese was willing to pay for an exercise program. Sixty percent of the obese group was willing to cut soft drinks and 50% of the normal weight and overweight individuals were willing to drink water only. In conclusion, self perception of body weight tends to lower the severity of weight problems in both men and women. However, body weight perception did not affect the willingness to adopt healthy eating and activity behaviors.
Body Weight Status and Willingness to Adopt Healthy Eating and Activity Behaviors Among Kentucky Adults
The objective of this study was to assess how body weight perception might be related to willingness to adopt healthy eating and activity behaviors among Kentucky adults. Visitors to the 2011 Kentucky State Fair were recruited to fill out a questionnaire before they were given a free analysis of their body composition (body fat %) with a Tanita TBF-521 body composition analyzer. Among the 248 participants, 68% were female and 32% were male. Majority of people with normal body weight considered themselves within the normal weight range. Sixty four percent of overweight men considered themselves normal and 77% of obese men considered themselves only overweight. Fifteen percent of normal weight women considered themselves overweight, but only 21% of overweight women considered themselves normal and 51% of obese women put themselves in the overweight category. About 80% of the participants would choose vegetables or fruits and nuts for snacks but 30% of the obese group would choose chips for a snack. Nearly72% of the participants thought bad eating habits were responsible for their weight problem but only 10% thought low physical activity was to blame. Nearly 70% of the participants would learn to prepare vegetable dishes on their own but only 14% would do so by attending free workshops. Approximately 72% of participants were willing to add physical activities to their daily life such as walking but only 10% was willing to join a free club for exercise and 10% of the obese was willing to pay for an exercise program. Sixty percent of the obese group was willing to cut soft drinks and 50% of the normal weight and overweight individuals were willing to drink water only. In conclusion, self perception of body weight tends to lower the severity of weight problems in both men and women. However, body weight perception did not affect the willingness to adopt healthy eating and activity behaviors.