Family support and peer support related to the physical activity of the prospective bride and groom

Abstract

Introduction: Indonesia ranks third for maternal mortality rate (MMR) and second for infant mortality rate (IMR) in Southeast Asia. Weight management as a part of premarital preparation by the couple in welcoming the wedding day and life as spouses is usually done through physical activities or exercises. This study attempted to analyze the characteristics of the prospective bride and groom and the relationship between social support and physical activity done by the prospects. M ethods: This was a correlative descriptive study with a cross-sectional design conducted in Greater Jakarta. There were 239 prospective brides and grooms recruited by convenience sampling technique. The Social Support and Exercise Survey questionnaire measured family and peer support to identify the social support in physical activity. The global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) was also used to determine each prospect’s level of physical activity. Data were gathered through an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate Chi-Square tests. Results: The analysis showed a relationship between peer support and the prospective bride’s and groom’s physical activity (p-value = 0.003). Most respondents had sufficient support from family and peers and willingly carried out physical activities according to professionals’ recommendations. On the other hand, the results also found a small proportion of prospective brides and grooms who have insufficient social support and physical activity. Conclusion: It is recommended for health workers, especially nurses, to do various nursing interventions, such as promoting physical activity to peers or family with prospective brides and grooms to prepare for the physical condition of prospects before marriage properly.