Personal Factors and Health Beliefs Perception Factors Affecting Behaviors for Preventing Overweight among Bachelor's Degree Students, Burapha University

Abstract

A prevention behavior for overweight, a major preventive health behavior, could prevent susceptibility to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The purpose of this survey-based descriptive research was to study overweight prevention behaviors and factors associated with preventive health behaviors among bachelor’s degree students at Burapha University. The questionnaires modified in accordance with the theory of the Health Belief Model were given to 393 bachelor’s degree students at Burapha University randomly in February, 2023. Data were analyzed descriptive statistics, by t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression. The results were as follows: First, bachelor’s degree students with different sex, year class, faculty and family health histories had significantly different preventive behaviors at the 0.05 level. Next, perceived barriers to preventive behaviors were statistically significantly correlated with preventive behavior (r=-0.399, p<0.001), while perceived susceptibility to overweight, perceived severity of disease caused by overweight, perceived benefits of preventive behaviors and cues to action were not correlated with preventive behavior. Finally, perceived barriers to preventive behaviors, sex, year class, and faculty could co-predict the overweight prevention behaviors of undergraduate students at 22.2%