A study of the obesity reduction behavior of undergraduate students of Rajamangala University of Technology Phra NaKhon

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to study the obesity reduction behavior of undergraduate students of Rajamangala University of Technology Phra NaKhon, and to compare the obesity reducing behavior of the male students and female students. The questionnaire was used as a research tool to collect the data. The samples in this study were 401 students: 176 male and 225 female students. All 401 questionnaires were returned. The collected data were analyzed by using the mean score, standard deviation and t-test. The statistical significance was at the .05 level. The findings were as follows. 1. The average body mass index of the majority of the students was at a moderate level which was 22.60. They were in normal shape and not overweight. The male students had an average body mass index of 22.48 and the female students had an average body mass index of 21.60. Both males and females were in normal shape. 2. The students' obesity reduction behavior was at a moderate level. 3. There was a significant difference between the male and female students’ obesity reduction behavior at .05 level. It was found that the obesity reduction behavior of the male students was significantly higher than that of the female students at the 0.05 level. Those higher obesity reduction behavior included buying a drug to reduce fat, drinking tea or coffee to reduce fat and toxins without consulting a doctor, using fiber products certified by a physician, using laxatives after dinner without consulting a doctor, eating basil seeds before having a meal, eating fatburning dietary supplements approved by an expert, taking medicine to catch fat from ingested food without consulting a physician, eating extracts from garcinnia, exercising continuously for 30 minutes, exercising more than 3 days in a week, losing weight by acupuncture, being a customer of hand massage service for weight loss, getting a gastric bypass, being a customer of weight loss institute with modern equipment, having treatment service from body institute with modern equipment, wearing a tightening belt or clothes, buying reducing fat oil cream and using it without consulting a doctor, and getting a liposuction by a specialist. Therefore, the obesity reduction behavior of the male students was significantly higher than those of the female students at the 0.05 level.