Obesity Intervention Program for University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of protective nursing interventions, such as education, healthy nutrition and physical activities for reducing obesity risk, and motivational messages sent via social media on the reduction of obesity risk in university students. Methods: This randomized controlled study, which has two parallel sections, was conducted with seventy university students in the risk group for obesity. Experimental and control groups were randomly selected and assigned. Interventions regarding nutritional habits, physical activities, and motivational social media messages lasted for eleven weeks. The primary outcome measures were scores for nutrition-exercise attitudes, nutrition-exercise behaviors, and exercise benefits/obstacles. The secondary outcome measures were body mass indexes, waist-to-hip ratios, and body fat percentages. Data were collected by the assistant investigator, not knowing who was in the experimental and control groups. This study ensured blinding in terms of data collectors, statistical analyses, and reporting. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 20 software package. Conclusion: This study is important as a model that can provide evidence for further studies to be conducted to reduce obesity risk.