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Zelenytė V, Valius L, Domeikienė A, Gudaitytė R, Endzinas Ž, Šumskas L, Maleckas A. Body size perception, knowledge about obesity and factors associated with lifestyle change among patients, health care professionals and public health experts. BMC Fam Pract 2021; 22:37. [PMID: 33588766 PMCID: PMC7885487 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-021-01383-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background The attitudes towards obesity may have an important role on healthier behavior. The goal of the present study was to explore the attitudes towards obesity and to investigate how these attitudes were associated with lifestyle-changing behavior among the patients attending primary care centers, health care professionals and public health experts. Methods This cross-sectional survey study was performed in 10 primary care offices in different regions in Lithuania and in 2 public health institutions. Nine hundred thirty-four patients, 97 nurses, 65 physicians and 30 public health experts have filled the questionnaire about attitudes towards obesity and presented data about lifestyle-changing activities during last 12 months. The attitudes were compared between different respondent groups and factors associated with healthier behaviors were analyzed among overweight/obese individuals in our study population. Results Participants failed to visually recognize correct figure corresponding to male and female with obesity. Majority of respondents’ perceived obesity as a risk factor for heart diseases and diabetes but had less knowledge about other diseases associated with weight. About one third of respondents changed their lifestyle during last 12 months. Overweight individuals with age < 45 years (OR 1.64, 1.06–2.55; p = 0.025) were more likely and those who overestimated current weight (OR 0.44, 0.20–0.96; p = 0.036) less likely to change their lifestyle. Disappointment with their current weight (OR 2.57, 1.36–4.84; p = 0.003) was associated with healthier behavior among participants with obesity. Conclusion Participants had similar body size perception and knowledge about obesity. Younger age had significant association with lifestyle changing behavior among overweight individuals and disappointment with current weight among obese participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginija Zelenytė
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevičiaus st. 9, LT-44307, Kaunas, Lithuania.
| | - Leonas Valius
- Department of Family Medicine, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevičiaus st. 9, LT-44307, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Auksė Domeikienė
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevičiaus st. 9, LT-44307, Kaunas, Lithuania.,Department of Family Medicine, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevičiaus st. 9, LT-44307, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Rita Gudaitytė
- Department of Surgery, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevičiaus st. 9, LT-44307, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Žilvinas Endzinas
- Department of Surgery, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevičiaus st. 9, LT-44307, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Linas Šumskas
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevičiaus st. 9, LT-44307, Kaunas, Lithuania.,Institute of Health Research, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Almantas Maleckas
- Department of Surgery, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickevičiaus st. 9, LT-44307, Kaunas, Lithuania.,Department of Gastrosurgical Research and Education, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Bla Straket 5, SE-41345, Gothenburg, Sweden
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