A Descriptive Study to Assess the Knowledge of Adolescents regarding Obesity as a Predisposing Factor for Cardiovascular Diseases with A View to Develop an Educational Pamphlet in selected Urban Areas of Tumkur

Abstract

Background: A famous ancient proverb states; “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like an ordinary person, and your dinner like a beggar”. These words of wisdom have long been discarded. Modern life has brought with it more food with high caloric density and better taste. New technology and modern life style has made life easier and less active and the result is a worldwide epidemic of obesity and its associated disorders. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in children, adolescents, adults and authorities view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century. Obesity is stigmatized in much of the modern world (particularly in the western world), though it was widely perceived as a symbol of wealth and fertility at other times in history and still is in some parts of the world. Body mass index (BMI), a measurement which compares weight and height, defines people as overweight (pre obese) if there is between 25kg/m2 and 30kg/m2, and obese when itis greater than 30kg/m22. Objectives: 1. To assess the knowledge of adolescents regarding obesity as predisposing factor for cardiovascular diseases. 2. To determine the association between the knowledge of adolescents regarding obesity as predisposing factor for cardiovascular diseases with the selected demographic variables. 3. To develop and distribute educational pamphlets to adolescents. Methology: The research design which is used to achieve objectives of this study is nonexperimental, Descriptive Design. The population was Adolescents from urban areas of Tumkur. The sample consists of 100 Adolescents from selected urban areas of Tumkur. Adolescents were selected by simple random sampling. The data was collected from Adolescents using a structured questionnaire for knowledge. The data obtained was analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: The study findings revealed that the knowledge of adolescents was determined with mean of 26.31, SD 3.367 and mean score percentage was observed as 58.48%. The data proved that the knowledge of adolescents regarding obesity as the predisposing factor for cardiovascular diseases is moderate (66%). The chi-square test showed a significant (P < 0.05) association between knowledge and age, gender, educational status, medium of educational background, history of obesity, area of residence and family income. Conclusion: In the above findings of the present study, it is found that the knowledge levels of adolescents was moderate, the adolescents would undergo an educational and training programme for the improvement of knowledge of regarding obesity as the predisposing factor for cardiovascular diseases.