Stavovi studenata zdravstvenog veleučilišta prema pretilim osobama

Abstract

Obesity is the term used to describe the excessive accumulation of body fat in relation to lean body mass. Obesity has many potential causes, such as genetics, alcohol consumption, use of various medications, psychological issues, reduced physical activity, and metabolic diseases. Since healthcare professionals are in daily contact with overweight and obese individuals, they play a crucial role in providing psychological support. The aim of this study was to examine the attitudes of students at the University of Applied Health Sciences towards obese individuals, as well as some determinants in predicting attitudes towards obesity. The study involved 200 students from different years and programs at the University of Applied Health Sciences. The results show that there is a statistically significant difference between male and female students in expressing negative responses, with male students being more prone to expressing more negative attitudes towards obesity. It was also observed that there was no statistically significant difference between full-time and part-time students, and physiological data were not associated with expressing more negative attitudes towards obesity. The most significant predictor in predicting a negative attitude towards obesity was satisfaction with one’s own body weight.