Effect of Education on the Weight Self-Efficacy lifestyle among Adolescent Girls with Overweight and Obesity

Perceived self-efficacy is one of the predictive factors in behavior. The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of education on eating behaviors self - efficacy in the obese or overweight adolescent female students. This is a quasi-experimental study conducted in 2011 in Razan, Iran, on 78 obese and overweight adolescent girls, aged 12-16, which were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The data was collected by using the weight efficacy lifestyle questionnaire (WEL). Educational programs were implemented for four sessions for experiment group and the results were evaluated after intervention. The data were analyzed using paired t-test, independent t-test, and chi square. Following the intervention, significant differences were observed in subscales including social pressures (t=-3.60, p<0.001), availability of nutrition (t=-2.81 p=0.008) and entertaining activities (t=-5.62 p <0.001) in experimental group. However, these differences were not significant in negative emotions and physical discomfort in this group. There were no significant differences in control group in any of subscales. Utilizing an intervention technique like the present wellness-based program had positive effects on encouraging the adolescents for making healthier lifestyle and will help them with preventing of the obesity and overweight.