A SURVEY OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND LIFESTYLE PRACTICE TOWARDS OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITI MALAYA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37268/mjphm/vol.26/no.2/art.3241Keywords:
Knowledge, Obesity, Attitude, Lifestyle Practice, Medical StudentsAbstract
Overweight and obesity are increasingly prevalent public health concerns in Malaysia and globally, largely driven by lifestyle changes. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and lifestyle practices related to obesity among medical students at Universiti Malaya. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 327 medical students, including 214 pre-clinical and 113 clinical students, using a validated self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics and obesity-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. The majority of respondents demonstrated good knowledge (54.7%), while approximately half reported positive attitudes (50.2%) and good practices (51.1%) towards obesity prevention. Clinical posting (p = 0.001) and attendance at obesity-related education (p = 0.004) were significantly associated with better knowledge. Ethnicity was significantly associated with attitudes (p = 0.027) and lifestyle practices (p = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that male gender (OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.21–3.20), family history of obesity (OR = 3.84, 95% CI: 2.31–6.37), and Bumiputera ethnicity (OR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.64–4.38) were significant predictors of overweight and obesity. In conclusion, although knowledge levels were generally adequate, gaps remain in translating knowledge into practice. Sociodemographic and educational factors significantly influence obesity-related behaviours, highlighting the need for targeted interventions, enhanced medical education, and culturally sensitive strategies to improve obesity prevention among future healthcare professionals.
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