Effect of Weight Self-Stigma on Quality of Life and Dietary Habits among Adult Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design and Participants
2.2. Socio-Demographic Variables
2.3. Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire
2.4. The WHO Quality of Life (QOL) Questionnaire
2.5. Dietary Habits Questionnaire
2.6. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Baseline Characteristics of the Sample
3.2. Prevalence of WSS
3.3. Self-Devaluation
3.4. Fear of Enacted Stigma
3.5. Quality of Life and WSS
3.6. Dietary Habits and WSS
3.7. Quality of Food and WSS
3.8. Quantity of Food and WSS
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characteristics | n | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Age in Years, (M ± SD) | 6.74 ± 24 | ||
Sex | Male | 83 | 21.6 |
Female | 302 | 78.4 | |
Educational Level | Postgraduate Education | 104 | 27 |
Bachelor’s degree | 202 | 52.5 | |
High school or diploma or less | 79 | 20.5 | |
Nationality | Saudi | 375 | 97.4 |
Non-Saudi | 10 | 2.6 | |
Marital status | Single | 325 | 84.4 |
Married | 55 | 14.3 | |
Divorced | 5 | 1.3 | |
Monthly income | More than 20,000 SAR | 90 | 23.4 |
SAR 15,000–20,000 | 81 | 21 | |
SAR 10,000–15,000 | 70 | 18.2 | |
SAR or less 10,000 | 144 | 37.4 | |
Residency location | City | 369 | 95.8 |
Governorate | 16 | 4.2 | |
BMI Classification | Underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) | 34 | 8.8 |
Normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25.0 kg/m2) | 170 | 44.2 | |
Overweight (25.0 ≤ BMI < 30.0 kg/m2) | 92 | 23.9 | |
Obesity class I (30.0 ≤ BMI < 34.5 kg/m2) | 47 | 12.2 | |
Obesity class II (35.0 ≤ BMI < 39.5 kg/m2) | 21 | 5.5 | |
Obesity class III (BMI ≥ 40.0 kg/m2) | 17 | 4.4 |
Items | Responses | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Completely Agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Completely Disagree | ||
n (%) | ||||||
Self-devaluation | ||||||
1 | I will always go back to being overweight | 58 (15.1%) | 81 (21%) | 89 (23.1%) | 97 (25.2%) | 60 (15.6%) |
2 | I caused my weight problems | 94 (24.4%) | 135 (35.1%) | 65 (16.9%) | 55 (14.3%) | 36 (9.4%) |
3 | I feel guilty because of my weight problems | 76 (19.7%) | 103 (26.8%) | 69 (17.9%) | 83 (21.6%) | 54 (14%) |
4 | I became overweight because I am a weak person | 66 (17.1%) | 77 (20%) | 84 (21.8%) | 83 (21.6%) | 75 (19.5%) |
5 | I would never have any problems with weight if I was stronger | 113 (29.4%) | 95 (24.7%) | 86 (22.3%) | 52 (13.5%) | 39 (10.1%) |
6 | I do not have enough self-control to maintain a healthy weight | 62 (16.1%) | 93 (24.2%) | 82 (21.3%) | 82 (21.3%) | 66 (17.1%) |
Fear of enacted stigma | ||||||
7 | I feel insecure about others’ opinions of me | 49 (12.7%) | 56 (14.5%) | 89 (23.1%) | 102 (26.5%) | 89 (23.1%) |
8 | People discriminate against me because I have had weight problems | 30 (7.8%) | 25 (6.5%) | 68 (17.7%) | 119 (30.9%) | 143 (37.1%) |
9 | It is difficult for people who have not had weight problems to relate to me | 70 (18.2%) | 75 (19.5%) | 104 (27%) | 62 (16.1%) | 74 (19.2%) |
10 | Others will think I lack self-control because of my weight problems | 65 (16.9%) | 58 (15.1%) | 106 (27.5%) | 70 (18.2%) | 86 (22.3%) |
11 | People think that I am to blame for my weight problems | 61 (15.8%) | 70 (18.2%) | 95 (24.7%) | 65 (16.9%) | 94 (24.4%) |
12 | Others are ashamed to be around me because of my weight | 14 (3.6%) | 20 (5.2%) | 69 (17.9%) | 83 (21.6%) | 199 (51.7%) |
Variables/Categories | Self-Devaluation | Fear of Enacted Stigma | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adult Students | (M ± SD) | SE | p-Value | (M ± SD) | SE | p-Value | |
BMI classifications | Underweight | 2.46 ± 0.90 | 0.15 | $ 0.000 | 2.19 ± 0.91 | 0.15 | $ 0.000 |
Normal weight | 2.80 ± 0.89 | 0.06 | 2.22 ± 0.83 | 0.06 | |||
Overweight | 3.53 ± 0.88 | 0.09 | 2.78 ± 0.93 | 0.09 | |||
Obesity class I | 3.81 ± 0.63 | 0.09 | 2.99 ± 0.86 | 0.12 | |||
Obesity class II | 3.96 ± 0.84 | 0.18 | 3.43 ± 0.90 | 0.19 | |||
Obesity class III | 3.66 ± 0.88 | 0.21 | 3.31 ± 0.87 | 0.21 | |||
Sex | Male | 3.41 ± 0.91 | 0.10 | # 0.132 | 2.76 ± 0.94 | 0.10 | # 0.725 |
Female | 3.11 ± 0.99 | 0.05 | 2.51 ± 0.95 | 0.05 | |||
Educational Level | Postgraduate Education degree | 3.14 ± 1.04 | 0.10 | $ 0.728 | 2.55 ± 1.01 | 0.09 | $ 0.882 |
Bachelor’s degree | 3.21 ± 1.00 | 0.07 | 2.55 ± 0.96 | 0.06 | |||
High school or diploma | 3.12 ± 0.87 | 0.09 | 2.62 ± 0.88 | 0.09 |
Quality of Life Domain | (M ± SD) | Weight Self-Stigma (r) |
---|---|---|
Physical domain | 3.48 ± 0.73 | −0.35 ** |
Psychological domain | 3.20 ± 0.82 | −0.41 ** |
Social domain | 3.42 ± 0.75 | −0.24 ** |
Environmental domain | 3.33 ± 1.09 | −0.23 ** |
Overall quality of life and general health | 3.56 ± 0.97 | −0.40 ** |
n (%) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Excellent | Very Good | Good | Fair | Poor | |
1. How would you rate your overall habits of eating healthy foods, for example, eating a balanced meal of protein, fat, and carbohydrates? | 17 (4.4) | 50 (13) | 106 (27.5) | 81 (21) | 131 (34) |
Daily | 1–3 times/week | 4–6 times/week | I do not eat home-cooked meals | ||
2. How often do you eat home-cooked meals per week? | 143 (37.1) | 94 (24.4) | 130 (33.8) | 18 (4.7) | |
Daily | 1–3 times/week | 4–6 times/week | I do not order from restaurants | ||
3. How often do you order from a restaurant, takeaway, or delivery per week? | 29 (7.5) | 265 (68.8) | 43 (11.2) | 48 (12.5) |
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Aladel, A.; Dakhakhni, B.; Almuhtadi, Y.; Alsheweir, A.; Aljammaz, S. Effect of Weight Self-Stigma on Quality of Life and Dietary Habits among Adult Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Healthcare 2023, 11, 1754. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121754
Aladel A, Dakhakhni B, Almuhtadi Y, Alsheweir A, Aljammaz S. Effect of Weight Self-Stigma on Quality of Life and Dietary Habits among Adult Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Healthcare. 2023; 11(12):1754. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121754
Chicago/Turabian StyleAladel, Alanoud, Badeeah Dakhakhni, Yara Almuhtadi, Azzah Alsheweir, and Sadeem Aljammaz. 2023. "Effect of Weight Self-Stigma on Quality of Life and Dietary Habits among Adult Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia" Healthcare 11, no. 12: 1754. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11121754