Knowledge, attitude, and practices about obesity among obese homemakers in urban udupi: A cross-sectional study

Background: National Family Health Survey (NFHS) reported that percentage of women who were obese at age group 15 – 49 years increased from 11% to 15% from NFHS – 2 to NFHS – 3. In rural parts, under nutrition is more predominant, but in urban areas, obesity and overweight are more than three times higher, which may be owing to less physical activity levels in urban. The prevalence of obesity is greater for urban women and it is largely preventable through changes in lifestyle. It is important to assess the individual’s knowledge about the link between food, physical work, and obesity in planning any intervention strategies. So it is necessary to explore the knowledge, attitude, and practices on obesity before planning any intervention programs. Objective: To assess Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) on obesity among obese homemakers in urban Udupi Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out among obese homemakers residing in urban Udupi. A total of 180 obese homemakers were recruited from 30 wards in urban Udupi community based on BMI criteria within the age group of 30 to 45 years. An investigator developed KAP questionnaire on obesity was administered to the participants. Results: The mean age of study population was 36.77 years. In knowledge section, 45% respondents had a low level of knowledge regarding obesity. 51.7% had a negative attitude towards obesity and 76% had a poor practice related to obesity. Conclusion: Women who are obese and homemakers by occupation residing in the urban community had a limited knowledge, negative attitude and worst in practices related to obesity.