Innovative Behavior Change Communication for Overweight/Obesity Prevention and Control among Childhood and Adolescence in Lamphun Province

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate an innovative behavioral change communication model for children and youths to prevent overweight and obesity in Lamphun province, northern Thailand. It was conducted as a quasi-experimental research in students grade 4 to 6 in a school in Muang district of the province during the school year 2014. The innovative communication model was implemented in 140 participating students assigned as the study group; and 154 students at a school in Banthi district who received exisitng teaching process were selected as the control. The innovative model was comprised of four talking cartoon books and an aero-boxing exercise video that had been refined and tried out before distributing to the students. The overall learning process took 5 weeks. Data were collected by using questionnaires; and were analyzed by Pair t-test and Student’s t-test. It was found that the average scores of knowledge and perception of overweight/obesity, and exercise behaviors among the intervention group were at good level. However, the average scores on eating habits was at a level to be improved. Comparatively, the scores of knowledge, perceptions, eating and exercise behaviors in the intervention group were higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). Over 90% of students in the intervention group had high level of satisfaction on talking cartoon books. This study demonstrated that an education program with participation of children and youths in the development of communication innovation could be useful in directly addressing their own problems. This program could be helpful in improving health behaviors that lead to overweight and obesity; resulting in the development of future adults with better quality of life.