Duda Rosemary B, Jumah Naana Afua, Hill Allan G, Seffah Joseph, Biritwum Richard
Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, RW871, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2006 Jul 20;4:44. doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-4-44.
Cultural norms indicate that obesity reflects increased wealth and prosperity. Yet obesity is linked to serious medical illnesses. The purpose of this study was to determine if Ghanaian women would change their body image if it meant a healthier life.
A questionnaire was administered to 305 Ghanaian women waiting for clinic appointments at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra Ghana. This survey included questions on current health, selection of figural stimuli, decision making on health and social determinants and 5 questions on self-perception of health from SF-36. Anthropometric measures were taken and body mass index calculated. Women were also provided with health related information at the conclusion of the interview.
The majority of all women surveyed would reduce their current body image if it meant that they would have an overall healthier life and reduce the risks of obesity-linked illnesses and complications. Currently obese women were significantly more likely than non-obese women to reduce their body image to reduce the risk of hypertension (OR 2.03 [1.64 - 2.51],<0.001); cardiovascular accident (OR 1.96 [1.61 - 2.38],<0.001); diabetes (OR 2.00 [1.63 - 2.44],<0.001); myocardial infarction (OR 2.27 [1.80 - 2.86],<0.001); if requested by a spouse(OR 2.64 [1.98 - 3.52],<0.001); and to improve overall health (OR 1.95 [1.60 - 2.37], <0.001). There was no association with current body image and responses to SF-36. The decision to select a new body image was not influenced by education, income, marital status or parity. Age 50 years old and less was significantly associated with the body image size reduction to reduce the risk of hypertension, diabetes, and a cardiovascular accident.
The Ghanaian women interviewed in this study are interested in living a healthy life and are willing to reduce their body size to reduce the risk of obesity-linked illnesses. The target group for any interventional studies and measures to reduce obesity appears to be women age 50 and younger.
文化规范表明肥胖反映了财富和繁荣的增加。然而，肥胖与严重的疾病有关。本研究的目的是确定加纳女性是否会为了更健康的生活而改变她们的身体形象。
对在加纳阿克拉科勒布教学医院等待门诊预约的305名加纳女性进行问卷调查。该调查包括关于当前健康状况、图形刺激的选择、健康和社会决定因素的决策以及来自SF-36的5个关于自我健康认知的问题。进行人体测量并计算体重指数。在访谈结束时，还向女性提供了与健康相关的信息。
所有接受调查的女性中，大多数人表示如果这意味着她们将拥有更健康的生活并降低与肥胖相关的疾病和并发症的风险，她们会改变当前的身体形象。目前肥胖的女性比非肥胖女性更有可能为降低高血压风险（比值比2.03 [1.64 - 2.51]，<0.001）；心血管意外（比值比1.96 [1.61 - 2.38]，<0.001）；糖尿病（比值比2.00 [1.63 - 2.44]，<0.001）；心肌梗死（比值比2.27 [1.80 - 2.86]，<0.001）而改变身体形象；如果配偶要求（比值比2.64 [1.98 - 3.52]，<0.001）；以及为了改善整体健康（比值比1.95 [1.60 - 2.37]，<0.001）。当前身体形象与对SF-36的回答之间没有关联。选择新身体形象的决定不受教育程度、收入、婚姻状况或生育情况的影响。50岁及以下的年龄与为降低高血压、糖尿病和心血管意外风险而减小身体形象大小显著相关。
本研究中接受访谈的加纳女性对健康生活感兴趣，并愿意减小身体尺寸以降低与肥胖相关疾病的风险。任何旨在减少肥胖的干预研究和措施的目标群体似乎是50岁及以下的女性。
