Original scientific paper
Sport Activity and Eating Habits of People Who Were Attending Special Obesity Treatment Programme
Mateja Videmšek
Jože Štihec
Damir Karpljuk
Anja Starman
Abstract
The aims of the study were to analyse the sport activity and eating habits of obese people in their childhood and adulthood.
The research was underpinned by a survey questionnaire containing 37 variables which was completed by 71 people
attending the obesity programme. The frequencies and contingency tables were calculated, whereas statistical significance
was established at a 5% significance level. The analysis of the results showed that more than one-half of the survey
respondents joined the obesity programme primarily for reasons of health and well-being. Most obese people did not engage
in any organised sport activity in their childhood, nor did most of their parents. The respondents practiced sport in
their childhood to a greater extent if their parents were also physically active and if they guided and encouraged their
children. No less than one-third of the respondents were overweight in their childhood, of whom two-thirds did not participate
in any organised sport activity. The majority of the respondents (85.9%) are currently engaged in an organised
sport activity in their adulthood, mainly due to their participation in the weight reduction programme; most of them
practice sport twice a week. Their eating habits are encouraging; the share of skipped meals is considerably lower and
practically negligible compared to that in childhood. It has to be emphasized that most of them are of opinion that obese
people have difficulties finding expert information on obesity, nutrition and sport activities as well as weight management
centers and institutions.
Keywords
sport activity; eating habits; obesity; childhood; adulthood; people attending obesity treatment programme
Hrčak ID:
27033
URI
Publication date:
2.9.2008.
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