Nutritional Consumption Behaviors of Thai Monks in Bangkok-noi District, Bangkok Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to: examine the nutritional consumption behaviors and the correlation among perceived benefit, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, perceived health status, age, and consumption behaviors; and identify predictors for consumption behaviors of Thai monks in Bangkok-noi district, Bangkok Metropolitan area. Methods: Two hundred monks who had been ordained and stayed at temples for at least 3 months were selected using the multistage random sampling method. A sample of 187 monks completed a questionnaire during the data collection period (October, 2008-February, 2009. The Health Status Questionnaire was used to collected data on participant demography, perceived benefit, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, perceived health status, and consumption behaviors. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression. Main findings: Results demonstrated that the sample had a moderate level in both total (X = 30.8, SD = 2.1) and subsets of nutritional consumption behaviors composed of food (X = 18.2, SD = 1.9) and beverages (X = 7.8, SD = 1.1). The perceived benefit (r = .254), perceived self-efficacy (r = .429), age (r = .284), and perceived health status (r = .230) were positively significant related to the consumption behaviors (p < .001). The perceived barriers (r = - .237) was negatively significant correlated to the consumption behaviors (p < .001). Five factors explained only 29.9% of the consumption behaviors. Three factors that were statistically significant in predicting the consumption behaviors were: perceived self-efficacy (β = .400, p < .001), age (β = .239, p < .001) and perceived barriers (β = - .211, p < .01).

Conclusion and recommendations: Perceived self-efficacy, age, and perceived barriers can predict the consumption behaviors of Thai monks. Therefore, health care teams should provide age specific programs to promote perceived self-efficacy and to reduce perceived barriers in Thai monks in order to change their consumption behaviors.

Main findings: