Comparison of mobile health education messages verses face-to-face consultation for weight reduction among overweight female adolescents in Thailand

Supim Wongtongtair; Sompoch Iamsupasit; Ratana Somrongthong; Ramesh Kumar; Khemika Yamarat

doi:10.12688/f1000research.51156.2

Comparison of mobile health education messages verses face-to-face consultation for weight reduction among overweight female adolescents in Thailand

F1000Res. 2021 Jul 22:10:635. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.51156.2. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Supim Wongtongtair^{1

2}, Sompoch Iamsupasit², Ratana Somrongthong², Ramesh Kumar^{2

3}, Khemika Yamarat²

Affiliations

¹ Health Promotion, Srinakharinwirot University, Ongkharak, Nakhon-Nayok, 26120, Thailand.
² Collage of Public Health Science, Chulalongkorn University, Prathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
³ Health Services Academy, Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Abstract

Background: Obesity is considered a significant public health problem in Thailand. This study was conducted to compare the impact of mobile health education messages verses face-to-face consultation on weight reduction among overweight female university students. Methods: This Quasi-experimental study comprised three groups: a control group, a group receiving mobile health education, and a group receiving face-to-face consultation. Each group contained 26 participants taking part over a period of 12 weeks, with a 12-week follow-up thereafter. The data analysis used two-way repeated measures ANOVA with least significant difference testing. The study was ethically approved at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. Results: The results revealed that the intervention found significant results in weight reduction among the respondents ( p < 0.05). In addition, both intervention groups significantly improved their health belief, social support, and health behavior scores in comparison to the control group ( p < 0.001). The results show that the average scores for social support for eating and exercise at baseline were significantly lower than at post-intervention or follow-up ( p < 0.001). In addition, the results of both aspects of social support showed that the average social support score at post-intervention was significantly higher than at follow-up. Furthermore, the health behavior score measured post-intervention was higher than at follow-up. There was a statistically significant difference in average metabolism during physical activity ( p < 0.001) but no statistical difference in average eating behavior score. Conclusion: The study found that the use of mobile health education to deliver health programs facilitates communication between the healthcare provider and individual, and can empower adolescent females in their pursuit of weight loss by improving their attitudes and knowledge, leading to better health behavior. Keywords Electronic health education, Facebook, health education, health belief model, social support, obesity, Thailand, health behaviors.

Keywords: Electronic health education; Facebook; Thailand; health behaviors; health belief model; health education; obesity; social support.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Female
Health Education
Humans
Obesity*
Overweight*
Thailand
Weight Loss

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the 100th Anniversary Chulalongkorn University Thailand Fund for Doctoral Scholarship [21/2556]. RK acknowledges support from the Rachadapisek Sompote Fund for Postdoctoral Fellowship, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.