Study of obesity-preventive food behaviors in women of Sanandaj County, Iran

BACKGROUND: Obesity is one of the major health problems and eating disorders around the world that has adverse consequences such as behavior change, increasing urbanization, reducing physical inactivity, and inappropriate lifestyle. The present study aimed to determine preventive behavioral obesity in women of Sanandaj County, Iran, in 2015-2016. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. The population included the women aged 18 to 64 years old in Sanandaj, Iran, of them 500 persons were selected by multistage cluster sampling. The method of the study was interviewing with the participants. The data were collected using a questionnaire including 13 questions regarding obesity-preventive eating behaviors. Scoring questionnaire was based on 1 and 0. Questions that were consistent with obesity-related nutritional behavior got a positive score (1) and questions that were against with obesity-related nutritional behavior did not receive any score (0). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: The average score of obesity-preventive eating behaviors was 58.68 ± 17.38. Less than 39% of the subjects had good obesity-preventative food behaviors and more than 53% had moderate obesity-preventative food behaviors. There were statistically significant differences between obesity-preventative food behaviors and economic status (P = 0.040), age group (P = 0.001), and marital status (P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The findings of the study indicated that the most of the subjects did not have a good and healthy diet; therefore, it is necessary to hold training classes in order to change their behaviors in this regard.