Krishnamohan Smrithi, Stalin P, Singh Zile, Sridhar Maghida
Medical Student, Department of Community Medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Puducherry, India.
Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Puducherry, India.
J Clin Diagn Res. 2017 Jul;11(7):LC07-LC10. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2017/27385.10259. Epub 2017 Jul 1.
Increasing burden of overweight and obesity among young adults is mainly due to unhealthy lifestyle especially with respect to diet and physical activity. At the same time, younger generations are spending more time with social network sites. Therefore, this study was intended to explore the role of social networking sites in promoting healthy lifestyle.
To measure the efficacy of health education using social networking sites in promoting healthy lifestyle among medical students in Puducherry, India.
A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted in a private medical college located in Puducherry. The study participants were overweight/obese individuals with (intervention arm) and without Facebook account (control arm). Following a baseline survey, both the groups received health education from dietician and physical trainer using Audiovisual (AV) aids. Intervention group received health education through Facebook in the forms of messages, pictures and videos for six weeks. Then, follow up survey was done to assess the change in dietary pattern, physical activity and body weight. Data of those who attended baseline, intervention and follow up surveys (23- control and 22- intervention) were analysed. Means and proportions were calculated. Paired t-test and Chi-square test were used to calculate the p-value. The p-value<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Mean number of days of junk food intake per week was reduced in both control and intervention groups from 2.91 days/week and 3.27 days/week at baseline to 2.65 days/week to two days/week at follow up respectively. A significant decrease in the Body Mass Index (BMI) (p<0.05) was found among the control group (baseline: 25.57, follow up: 25.15). No significant changes were found with respect to physical activity and intake of fruits and vegetables.
Except for the decrease in junk food intake, use of Facebook as an effective tool to promote healthy lifestyle could not be proved with confidence.
年轻人中超重和肥胖负担日益加重，主要归因于不健康的生活方式，尤其是在饮食和身体活动方面。与此同时，年轻一代在社交网站上花费的时间越来越多。因此，本研究旨在探讨社交网站在促进健康生活方式方面的作用。
评估利用社交网站进行健康教育对印度本地治里医科学生健康生活方式的促进效果。
在本地治里的一所私立医学院开展了一项非随机对照试验。研究参与者为超重/肥胖个体，其中有Facebook账户的为干预组，无Facebook账户的为对照组。基线调查后，两组均接受来自营养师和体能教练的健康教育，使用视听辅助工具。干预组通过Facebook以信息、图片和视频的形式接受为期六周的健康教育。然后，进行随访调查以评估饮食模式、身体活动和体重的变化。对参加基线、干预和随访调查的人员（23名对照组和22名干预组）的数据进行分析。计算均值和比例。使用配对t检验和卡方检验计算p值。p值<0.05被认为具有统计学意义。
对照组和干预组每周垃圾食品摄入天数的均值均有所减少，从基线时的每周2.91天和3.27天分别降至随访时的每周2.65天和2天。对照组的体重指数（BMI）显著下降（p<0.05）（基线：25.57，随访：25.15）。在身体活动以及水果和蔬菜摄入量方面未发现显著变化。
除了垃圾食品摄入量有所减少外，无法确切证明将Facebook作为促进健康生活方式的有效工具。
