Knowledge, Attitudes and Food Consumption Behavior of the Personnel of the Faculty of Education at Mahasarakham University

Abstract

Knowledge, Attitudes and Food Consumption Behavior of the Personnel of the Faculty of Education at Mahasarakham University

Napatsawan Thanaponganan PhD

Department of Health and Sport Science, Faculty of Education, Mahasarakham University

Objectives: To study knowledge, attitudes and behavior towards food consumption of the personnel of the Faculty of Education at Mahasarakham University.

Methods: This study was a survey research using questionnaire as the research tool. There were 86 respondents who were the academic and administrative faculty staffs. The questionnaire comprised questions involving know-ledge, attitudes, and behaviors of their food consumption.

Results: The subjects were academic staff in 53.5% and administrative staff in 46.5%, male in 40.7% and female in 59.3%. The most common age range was between 26-35 years old (43.0%) followed by 36-45 years old (27.9%). Majority (66.3%) had standard body mass index. Female and male had their waistlines > 31 inches and > 36 inches in 25.5% and 28.6% respectively. The results from the questionnaires showed that only 52.4% had fairly good (41.9%) or good (10.5%) knowledge of food consumption, 93.0% had good (89.5%) or very good (3.5%) attitude while 76.7% had good (62.8%) or very good (13.9%) behavior.

Conclusion: The faculty staffs had only modest knowledge on their food consumption despite very good attitude and good behavior. More information or education on nutrition should be provided to the personnel of the Faculty of Education to maximize healthy food consumption attitude and behavior.

Keywords: food consumption, knowledge, attitude, behavior