engleski

Biopsychosocial aspects of obesity : transtheoretical model of behaviour change

The prevalence of obesity is rapidly rising in Croatia as throughout the world. Although physiological and genetic factors may contribute, the increased trend in the prevalence of overweight has primarily been attributed to lifestyle. One theoretical framework, Prochaska and DiClemente's (1983) transtheoretical model of health-related behaviour change, has been successful in changing behaviours associated with obesity. The transtheoretical model involves set of constructs: stages of change, decisional balance, self-efficacy and processes of change. The main objectives of this study were to apply the transtheoretical model to the area of behaviour change focused on weight reduction in an overweight and obese population in Croatia ; to determine relationship among the key constructs of the TTM and to determine the contribution of the processes of change, decisional balance, self-efficacy, age, and the body mass index (BMI) to the stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, action, and maintenance. Two hunderd and ninety four participants took part in the study, average age 50.64 years (+/- 13.31) and average BMI 33.44 (+/- 4.20). Results were as following: almost all correlation coefficients among stages of cnage, decisional balance, self-efficacy and processes of change were significant. Pros for behaviour change is significant predictor for all stages of change and cons for precontemplation, contemplation, and action, but not for maintenance stage. It is suggested that in the precontemplation stage, individuals will find more cons of the problem behaviour then pros. In the action and maintenance stages, the opposite pattern will occure. Our results support partly this assumption. According to our data, experiential and behavioural processes of change were important both for earlier and later stages of change. Self-efficacy was significant predictor only for action stage and not for maintenance stage as one could expect. Findings of the present study provide preliminary evidence of the validity of applying TTM to the area of behaviour change focused on weight reduction in an overweight and obese population of Croatia. Although our resulty didn't completely support theiory assumptions, the transtheoretical model of behaviour change may be appropriate framework for health promotion programs in Croatia.

obesity; transtheoretical model; biopsychosocial approach; Croatia

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