Assessment of Weight Management Nutrition Knowledge Level Among Individuals Applying to a Diet Center

Öz

Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of nutritional weight management knowledge among individuals applying to a private nutrition and diet counseling center for weight management. Materials and Methods: Data were collected between January and May 2025 using voluntary face-to-face survey interviews. The sample size was determined to be at least 176 individuals based on a G*Power analysis for two independent groups with a 95% confidence level and a 5% margin of error; a total of 180 individuals were included in the study, comprising 90 new and 90 established patients. The socio-demographic characteristics of the participants were given in the first part, and the second part included the Weight Management Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (WMNKQ). Results: The mean BMI was 29.08±11.59 kg/m², and the WMNKQ score was 25.31±5.21. The results revealed a significant difference in clinical variables, including diet follow-up duration (p=0.001), presence of diagnosed disease (p=0.001), and disease-specific diet application status (p=0.025). Individuals with postgraduate education had statistically significantly higher WMNKQ scores than those with a high school or associate degree (p < 0.05). Positive and statistically significant relationships were found between WMNKQ scores and BMI (r=0.232, p=0.002) and duration of diet continuation (r=0.268, p=0.011). Conclusion: The level of knowledge regarding weight management is closely related to individuals' clinical characteristics, the duration of nutritional follow-up, and education level. These findings highlight the need to examine different clinical groups and educational interventions and may contribute to the development of more effective weight management programs.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• BMI
• nutrition education
• obesity
• weight management nutrition knowledge

Diyet Merkezine Başvuran Bireylerde Ağırlık Yönetimi Beslenme Bilgi Düzeyinin Değerlendirilmesi

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmada özel bir beslenme ve diyet danışmanlık merkezine başvuran bireylerin ağırlık yönetimine ilişkin beslenme bilgi düzeylerinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Materyal ve Metot: Çalışma verileri Ocak-Mayıs 2025 tarihleri arasında yüz yüze anket yoluyla gönüllülük esasına göre toplanmıştır. Örneklem büyüklüğü G*Power analiz yöntemi kullanılarak hesaplanmış; %95 güven düzeyi ve iki bağımsız grup için %5 hata payı baz alınarak en az 176 bireyin çalışmaya dâhil edilmesi beklenmiştir. Çalışmaya 90 yeni hasta ve 90 mevcut hasta olmak üzere toplam 180 birey katılmıştır. Katılımcıların sosyo-demografik özellikleri birinci bölümde verilmiş, ikinci bölümde Ağırlık Yönetimi Beslenme Bilgi Anketi (AYBBÖ) yer almıştır. Bulgular: Ortalama BKI 29,08±11,59 kg/m², AYBBÖ puanı ise 25,31±5,21 olarak bulunmuştur. Bireylerin ABBYÖ puanları analiz edilmiş ve sonuçlar klinik değişkenler olan diyet takip süresi (p=0,001), tanılı hastalık varlığı (p=0,001) ve hastalığa özgü diyet uygulama durumu (p=0,025) açısından anlamlı bir fark ortaya koymuştur. Lisansüstü eğitim düzeyine sahip bireylerin AYBBÖ puanları, lise ve ön lisans mezunu olan bireylere göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede yüksektir (p<0,05). Korelasyon analizleri sonucunda AYBBÖ puanları ile BKİ (r=0,232, p=0,002) ve diyete devam etme süresi (r=0,268, p=0,011) arasında pozitif ve istatistiksel olarak anlamlı ilişkiler bulunmuştur. Sonuç: Sonuç olarak ağırlık yönetimine ilişkin bilgi düzeyinin, bireylerin klinik özellikleri, beslenme takip süresi ve eğitim düzeyi ile yakından ilişkili olduğu görülmektedir. Bu bulgular, farklı klinik gruplar ve eğitim müdahalelerinin incelenmesi gerekliliğini ortaya koymakta ve daha etkili kilo yönetimi programlarının geliştirilmesine katkı sağlayabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ağırlık yönetimi beslenme bilgi düzeyi
• beden kütle indeksi
• beslenme eğitimi
• obezite

Kaynakça

1. 1. World Health Organization. Healthy and Sustainable Diets Key Workstreams in the WHO European Region 2021. https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2021-2192-41947-57624. Accessed April 18, 2025.
2. 2. World Health Organization. Noncommunicable diseases global monitoring framework. Geneva: World Health Organization 2013 http://www.who.int/nmh/global_monitoring_framework/en/. Accessed April 18, 2025.
3. 3. TÜBER. Türkiye Nutrition Guide. Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health, General Directorate of Public Health 2022. https://hsgm.saglik.gov.tr/depo/birimler/saglikli-beslenme-ve-hareketli-hayat-db/Dokumanlar/Rehberler/Turkiye_Beslenme_Rehber_ TUBER_2022_min.pdf Accessed April 19, 2025.
4. 4. Boyajian JL, Islam P, Abosalha A, et al. Probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics and other microbiome-based innovative therapeutics to mitigate obesity and enhance longevity via the gut-brain axis. Microbiome Research Reports. 2024;3(3):29. doi:10.20517/mrr.2024.05
5. 5. Al-Ghabban SI. Prevalence of overweight and obesity among students in University of Kerbala. Medical Journal of Babylon. 2013;10(1):205-218.
6. 6. Davis HC. Can the gastrointestinal microbiota be modulated by dietary fibre to treat obesity? Ir J Med Sci.Springer London. 2018;187(2):393-402. doi:10.1007/s11845-017-1686-9
7. 7. Jensen H, Grimmer S, Naterstad K, Axelsson L. In vitro testing of commercial and potential probiotic lactic acid bacteria. Int J Food Microbiol. 2012;153(1-2):216-222. doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2011.11.020
8. 8. Byrd-Bredbenner C, Schwartz J. The effect of practical portion size measurement aids on the accuracy of portion size estimates made by young adults. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. 2004;17(4):351-357. doi:10.1111/j.1365-277X.2004.00534.x

9. 9. Rolls BJ, Roe LS, Meengs JS. The effect of large portion sizes on energy intake is sustained for 11 days. Obesity. 2007;15(6):1535-1543. doi:10.1038/oby.2007.182
10. 10. Ayala GX. An experimental evaluation of a group- versus computer-based intervention to improve food portion size estimation skills. Health Educ Res. 2006;21(1):133-145. doi:10.1093/her/cyh049
11. 11. Bush HE, Rossy L, Mintz LB, Schopp L. Eat for Life: A Work Site Feasibility Study of a Novel Mindfulness-Based Intuitive Eating Intervention. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2014;28(6):380-388. doi:10.4278/ajhp.120404-QUAN-186
12. 12. Hwalla N, Jaafar Z, Sawaya S. Dietary Management of Type 2 Diabetes in the MENA Region: A Review of the Evidence. Nutrients. 2021;13(4):1060. doi:10.3390/nu13041060
13. 13. Ahirwar R, Mondal PR. Prevalence of obesity in India: A systematic review. Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews. 2019;13(1):318-321. doi:10.1016/j.dsx.2018.08.032
14. 14. Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.; 1988.
15. 15. Mikhail D, Rolls B, Yost K, et al. Development and validation testing of a weight management nutrition knowledge questionnaire for adults. Int J Obes. 2020;44(3):579-589. doi:10.1038/s41366-019-0510-1
16. 16. Onbaşı ZÇ, Akçil Ok M. Evaluation of Validity and Reliability of the Turkish form of Weight Management Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire: Methodological Studies. Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Health Sciences. 2024;9(1):19-26. doi:10.5336/healthsci.2023-99835
17. 17. Onbaşı ZÇ. Adaptation of the weight management nutrition knowledge scale to Turkish and evaluation of the effects of weight management education given to overweight/obese university students on various parameters. Başkent University, Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Doctorate Thesis. Ankara, Türkiye. 2022.
18. 18. Mitchell ES, Yang Q, Ho AS, et al. Self-reported nutritional factors are associated with weight loss at 18 months in a self-managed commercial program with food categorization system: Observational study. Nutrients. 2021;13(5). doi:10.3390/nu13051733
19. 19. Valmórbida JL, Goulart MR, Busnello FM, Pellanda LC. Nutritional knowledge and body mass index: A cross-sectional study. Rev Assoc Med Bras. 2017;63(9):736-740. doi:10.1590/1806-9282.63.09.736
20. 20. Akpene Amenya PC, Annan RA, Apprey C, Agbley EN. The relationship between nutrition and physical activity knowledge and body mass index-for-age of school-aged children in selected schools in Ghana. Heliyon. 2021;7(11):e08298. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08298
21. 21. Alması N, Rakıcıoğlu N. Assessing the Level of Nutrition Knowledge and Its Association with Dietary Intake in University Students. Balıkesır Health Sciences Journal. 2021;10(3):274-280. doi:10.53424/balikesirsbd.870277
22. 22. Martin PD, Dutton GR, Rhode PC, Horswell RL, Ryan DH, Brantley PJ. Weight loss maintenance following a primary care intervention for low-income minority women. Obesity. 2008;16(11):2462-2467. doi:10.1038/oby.2008.399
23. 23. Wadden TA, Volger S, Sarwer DB, et al. A Two-Year Randomized Trial of Obesity Treatment in Primary Care Practice. New England Journal of Medicine. 2021;365(21):1969-1979. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1109220
24. 24. Appel LJ, Clark JM, Yeh HC, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Weight-Loss Interventions in Clinical Practice. New England Journal of Medicine. 2021;365(21):1959-1968. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1108660