A school-based randomized controlled field trial to improve Beliefs About Obese Persons (BAOP) and Attitudes Towards Obese Persons (ATOP) among adolescents

Samaneh Besharatifar; Sakineh Rakhshanderou; Yadollah Mehrabi; Leili Mazar; Mohtasham Ghaffari

doi:10.1515/ijamh-2024-0027

Article

A school-based randomized controlled field trial to improve Beliefs About Obese Persons (BAOP) and Attitudes Towards Obese Persons (ATOP) among adolescents

Samaneh Besharatifar , Sakineh Rakhshanderou , Yadollah Mehrabi , Leili Mazar and Mohtasham Ghaffari

Published/Copyright: April 29, 2024

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From the journal International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health Volume 36 Issue 3

Abstract

Objectives

A negative attitude towards obesity may lead to stigma and thus lower self-esteem in people with obesity of any society. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a school-based randomized controlled field trial on female adolescents’ attitudes and beliefs towards people with obesity.

Methods

This experimental study was conducted among 124 middle school students (control group=62, intervention group=62). Using a cluster random sampling method, four schools were chosen and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The data collection tool was the Attitudes Toward Obese Persons (ATOP) and Beliefs About Obese Persons (BAOP) scales, which were used after validity and reliability processes. The intervention program was developed and implemented following pretest, responses analysis, and educational needs assessment in two sessions (180 min). The follow-ups were performed immediately and two months after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 16.0 using independent t-test, chi-square test, repeated measures ANOVA, and ANCOVA at the significance level of 0.05.

Results

The mean BAOP scores of each group before, immediately and two months after the intervention were significantly different between (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between the mean ATOP and BAOP scores of the two groups before, immediately, and two months after the intervention (p>0.001).

Conclusions

It seems that beliefs and attitudes regarding obesity as well as discriminatory perceptions towards people with obesity have high firmness and resistance and require innovative and appropriate interventions.

Keywords: attitude; belief; obesity; adolescents

Corresponding author: Mohtasham Ghaffari, Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 19835-35511, Tabnak Ave., Daneshjou Blvd., Velenjak, Tehran, Iran, Phone: +9821224320401, Fax: +9821224320367, E-mail: MohtashamGhaffari@sbmu.ac.ir

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all the students who participated in this research and appreciate Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences for their financial support.

Research ethics: The Ethics Committee of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences approved the study with the code of SBMU1.REC.1394.17. All methods were carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals and their legal guardians included in this study.
Author contributions: SB, SR, YM, and MGH designed the study. SB and LM wrote the first draft. All authors contributed in writing, revising, and approved the final manuscript.
Competing interests: The authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: The present study was financially supported by the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and did not receive a specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Data availability: The raw data can be obtained on request from the corresponding author.

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Received: 2024-02-21

Accepted: 2024-04-15

Published Online: 2024-04-29

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2024-0027

Keywords for this article

attitude; belief; obesity; adolescents