LITERACY AND OBESITY PREVENTION BEHAVIORS AMONG JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT DONGJEN WITTAYAKOM SCHOOL, PHUKAMYAO DISTRICT, PHAYAO PROVINCE

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to examine health literacy and obesity prevention behaviors among lower secondary school students at Dongjen Wittayakom School, Phu Kam Yao District, Phayao Province. The sample was recruited through stratified random sampling combined with simple random sampling from 185 students currently enrolled in Mathayom 1–3 during the 2025 academic year. Data were collected via an online questionnaire authorized for use by the Health Education Division, Department of Health Service Support, Ministry of Public Health, from the Health Literacy Assessment Manual for Thai Overweight Children and Youth. The instrument had been validated through discriminative power analysis and component index measurement, comprising eight sections: (1) general information; (2) health knowledge and understanding for obesity prevention (KR-20 = 0.70); (3) access to health information and services for obesity prevention (α = 0.74); (4) health communication for enhancing obesity prevention competency (α = 0.79); (5) personal health condition management for obesity prevention (α = 0.79); (6) media and information literacy for obesity prevention (α = 0.82); (7) decision-making for correct obesity prevention practices (α = 0.52); and (8) obesity prevention behaviors (α = 0.82). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, including Spearman’s Rank Correlation. The findings revealed that the overall health literacy was at an adequate level (mean = 89.17 ± 13.99). At the subscale level, access to health information and services (mean = 17.39 ± 3.58), health communication for enhancing competency (mean = 18.61 ± 4.43), personal health condition management (mean = 17.29 ± 3.87), media and information literacy (mean = 17.42 ± 4.26), and decision-making for correct practices (mean = 13.48 ± 2.93) were all rated at a moderate level. However, health knowledge and understanding were rated at an incorrect level (mean = 4.98 ± 1.78). Obesity prevention behaviors were at a moderate level (mean = 61.83 ± 6.13). Furthermore, health knowledge and understanding, as well as personal health condition management, were found to have a low positive correlation with obesity prevention behaviors (ρ=0.233, ρ=0.001) and (ρ=0.216, ρ=0.003), respectively. These findings suggest that developing programs that promote accurate knowledge and understanding of obesity, alongside students’ self-management skills, combined with the management of food and physical activity environments within the school, are key factors in fostering sustainable obesity prevention behaviors among students.