Health Promoting Behavior and Self-Efficacy of Normal Weight and Obese Middle School Students by Gender

Abstract

Purpose : This study examines the differences in self-efficacy and health promoting behavior between obese students and normal weight students by gender; it tries to obtain basic data for the health guidance of obese students. Methods : Data were collected from 360 students (90 normal weight males, 90 obese males, 90 normal weight females, 90 obese females) using questionnaires about general characteristics, self-efficacy, and health promoting behavior. There were analyzed with descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation), and a X2test, ANCOVA, and a Pearsons correlation of coefficient at the 0.05 significance level by using the SAS (version 8.01) Win Program. Results : The score of self-efficacy appears that in the case of boys, obese students are significantly lower than their normal weight counterparts (F=25.85, p=<.0001), while in the case of girls there is no significant difference between the two groups (F=.01, p=.9118). The score of health promoting behavior appears that in the case of boys, obese students are significantly lower than their normal weight counterparts (F=28.61, p=<.0001), while in the case of girls there is no significant difference between the two groups (F=1.25, p=.2643). The relation of self-efficacy and health promoting behavior shows a statistically significant correlation in all cases: obese boys (r=.69, p=<.0001), normal weight boys (r=.51, p=<.0001), obese girls (r=.67, p=<.0001), and normal weight girls (r=.49, p=<.0001).Conclusions : An evaluation study needs to see whether a program to encourage the self-efficacy of obese boys can be effective in health promoting behavior or weight control in the long run. As in this study more than half of the obese girls have mild-level obesity, a follow-up study should be conducted to examine the self-efficacy and health promoting behavior between middle or highly obese students and normal weight students.