Factors influencing health literacy in overweight management among late adolescents in Thailand: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Health literacy is crucial in managing health outcomes, including overweight, which is a significant issue among late adolescents. Despite the importance of health literacy in weight management, research focusing on this population remains limited. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing health literacy in overweight management among late adolescents in Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with late adolescents from five higher education institutions in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. A total of 403 participants were selected through multistage random sampling. Self-report questionnaires, validated for reliability and accuracy, were used to collect data from March to May 2023. Multiple regression analysis was employed, with a significance level set at 0.05. Results: The sample consisted predominantly of females (91.10%) with an average age of 20-21 years (54.30%). The prevalence of overweight/obesity among participants was 25.06%. Four factors were significantly associated with health literacy in overweight management: access to health and weight control resources (r = 0.368, p <0.001), access to online social learning resources (r = 0.321, p <0.001), access to books, journals, and websites (r = 0.340, p <0.001), and management of weight control behaviors (r = 0.145, p <0.001). These factors together accounted for 20% of the variance in health literacy (R2 = 0.200). Conclusion: The study identified key factors that enhance health literacy in overweight management among late adolescents in Thailand. It is recommended that nurses and other healthcare professionals develop targeted interventions focusing on these factors to effectively manage overweight in this population.