The Effect of "Good Shape-Good Health" Program on Weight Reduction Behavior: A Case of Female Students at Rajabhat Uttaradit Institute (ผลของโครงการ "หุ่นสวย สุขภาพดี" ต่อพฤติกรรมการลดน้ำหนัก : กรณีนักศึกษาหญิงสถาบันราชภัฏอุตรดิตถ์)

The objective of this one-group quasi-experimental study were (1) to study the effect of  c Good Shape-Good Health  e program on weight reduction behavior, body mass index, percent body fat,blood pressure and pulse rate among female students at Rajabhat Uttaradit Institute, and (2) to understand factors affecting their weight reduction behavior. The study was conducted between October 2003 and March 2004. Data on knowledge, attitudes, intention and weight reduction behavior were collected by means of self-administered questionnaires on 307 randomly selacted female students. Twenty-six volunteers were then recruited from the sample who reported practicing weight loss activities to participate in  c Good Shape-Good Health e program. The results indicated that 131 of the sample (42.7%) reported practicing weight reduction activities. The most frequently mentioned method was exercise (63.4%) and dieting (54.2%), followed by starving (22.9%) and using dietary fiber products (22.1%), respectively. After joining the program, more volunteers reported using exercise and dieting as means to weight reduction. The use of inappropriate weight reduction methods was significantly decreased. Percent body fat was significantly reduced, whereas body mass index showed a decreasing trend. On the contrary, blood pressure and pulse rate were increased. In conclusion,  c Good Shape-Good Health e  program showed a promising sign to change weight reduction behavior among student volunteers. This program can be used as a model to construct weight reduction programs targeting teenagers. Key words: weight reduction behavior, theory of planned behavior, obesity, teenagers