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Effectiveness of a school-based obesity control program among adolescents in Makkah: A pretest-posttest intervention
Muath A Aldomini1, Baraa S Quronfulah1, Mohamed O Nour1
1Department of Health Promotion and Education, College of Public Health and Health Informatics, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, KSA.
Objective:
To evaluate the impacts of a structured school-based educational intervention on obesity-related knowledge, binge eating behaviors, and anthropometric measures among intermediate school students in Makkah City.
Methods:
A one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used. In total, 255 intermediate school students participated in a two-week obesity control program incorporating nutrition education, promotion of healthy lifestyle habits, awareness of binge eating disorder (BED), and physical activity guidance. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire to assess sociodemographic and anthropometric measures (body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference), obesity-related knowledge, and binge eating behavior using the Binge Eating Scale (BES). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS to assess pre-post changes and associations.
Results:
The intervention led to a significant improvement in obesity-related knowledge, with median scores increasing from 11 (interquartile range (IQR): 8-14) pre-intervention to 15 (IQR: 12-18) post-intervention (p < 0.001). Knowledge scores were significantly higher for female students than males at both pre- and post-test (p < 0.001). In addition, students with lower knowledge were more likely to report moderate-to-severe binge eating behaviors both before and after the program (p = 0.017 and p = 0.004, respectively). BES scores had positive correlations with BMI, weight, and waist circumference, and negative correlations with knowledge scores. Logistic regression identified low pre-test knowledge as an independent predictor of moderate-to-severe binge eating symptoms (odds ratio = 0.871; 95 % confidence interval: 0.796-0.953, p = 0.003).
Conclusion:
The educational program effectively enhanced knowledge of obesity and eating behaviors among students. These findings highlight the link between psychological eating patterns and obesity risk, emphasizing the need to integrate emotional and behavioral components into school-based health education. Incorporating these multidimensional strategies may contribute to early prevention of disordered eating and long-term obesity.
