Ineffective overweight self-management: A study of diagnostic accuracy and etiological relationships

To evaluate the accuracy of clinical indicators and etiological factors associated with the nursing diagnosis of ineffective overweight self-management among university students.

A diagnostic accuracy study with a cross-sectional design was conducted with 108 university students. A latent class analysis model with random effects was used to establish sensitivity and specificity measures of clinical indicators, estimate the prevalence of the diagnosis, and calculate posterior probabilities for the diagnosis. Odds ratios for etiological factors were calculated using univariate logistic regression. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the responsible institution.

The nursing diagnosis of ineffective overweight self-management had an estimated prevalence of 38.1% in the sample. Sensitive clinical indicators included excessive calorie consumption (0.9514) and dissatisfaction with body image (0.8834). Specific indicators included negative self-perception of health (0.9999), inadequate eating behavior (0.9990), and impaired emotional health (0.8273). A personal history of overweight (OR = 2.78; p-value = 0.018) increased the likelihood of developing ineffective overweight self-management by approximately two and a half times.

Ineffective overweight self-management is prevalent among university students and is characterized by two sensitive clinical indicators, three specific indicators, and a population at risk that increases the likelihood of this diagnosis.

Accurate clinical indicators and the identification of etiological factors for the diagnosis of ineffective overweight self-management support nurses' clinical reasoning in practice. Moreover, verifying accurate components for diagnosing ineffective overweight self-management contributes to the development of interventions aimed at promoting the health of university students.