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Impact of Obesity Prevention Education on Weight Management Practices among Female University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Obesity is an increasing public health concern among young adults and may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers, and other chronic health conditions. Female university students may be vulnerable to unhealthy weight-related practices because of changes in dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles, academic pressures, limited financial resources, irregular meal patterns, peer influence, and increased consumption of energy-dense foods. Inadequate knowledge about healthy weight management may further contribute to unhealthy dieting, physical inactivity, and other behaviours that increase the risk of excessive weight gain. Obesity prevention education provides an opportunity to improve students' understanding of healthy eating, physical activity, appropriate weight management, portion control, sedentary behaviour, and sustainable lifestyle practices. Against this background, this study investigates the impact of obesity prevention education on weight management practices among female university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Theory of Planned Behavior. The Health Belief Model explains how female university students' perceptions of their susceptibility to obesity, perceived severity of obesity-related complications, perceived benefits of healthy weight management, perceived barriers, and cues to action may influence their behaviours. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes self-efficacy, behavioural reinforcement, observational learning, social support, and environmental influences in the adoption and maintenance of healthy weight-management practices. The Theory of Planned Behavior explains how attitudes toward weight management, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and behavioural intentions may influence students' adoption of healthy practices. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how obesity prevention education may influence weight management practices among female university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise female undergraduate students enrolled in selected universities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, universities, faculties, departments, and eligible female students. Obesity prevention education will be assessed using indicators such as exposure to structured educational sessions, frequency and duration of education, knowledge of obesity risk factors, healthy dietary practices, portion control, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, stress management, healthy weight monitoring, and risks associated with unhealthy dieting practices. Weight management practices will be assessed using indicators such as regular physical activity, healthy dietary choices, portion control, meal planning, monitoring of body weight where appropriate, adequate sleep, reduction of sedentary behaviour, avoidance of extreme or unsafe dieting practices, and appropriate healthcare or nutrition consultation. Body mass index (BMI) may also be measured as a supporting anthropometric indicator where appropriate, but the primary outcome will be weight-management practices rather than body size alone. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, validated lifestyle assessment tools, anthropometric measurements, and relevant student health records where available. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize participants' characteristics, exposure to obesity prevention education, and patterns of weight management practices. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, t-tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the impact of obesity prevention education on weight management practices. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, weight management practice scores before and after the educational intervention will be compared to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that obesity prevention education has a significant positive impact on weight management practices among female university students in Nigeria. Students exposed to structured and evidence-based obesity prevention education are expected to demonstrate healthier dietary choices, increased physical activity, improved portion-control practices, reduced sedentary behaviour, and greater use of sustainable weight-management strategies than students with limited exposure to such education. Education may improve students' understanding of energy balance, healthy food choices, physical activity, and the risks associated with extreme dieting and weight-related misinformation. It may also strengthen self-efficacy and encourage students to adopt gradual and sustainable lifestyle changes. However, food affordability, academic workload, limited access to healthy foods and recreational facilities, peer influence, cultural expectations, body-image concerns, stress, and socioeconomic circumstances may limit the adoption and maintenance of healthy weight-management practices. The study therefore expects accessible, practical, culturally appropriate, and evidence-based obesity prevention education to contribute significantly to improved weight management practices among female university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on obesity prevention education, weight management practices, female university students, nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyles, non-communicable disease prevention, health promotion, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, universities, university health centres, nutritionists, dietitians, public health practitioners, student welfare departments, women's health organizations, development partners, and policymakers regarding strategies for preventing unhealthy weight gain among young women. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating obesity prevention education into university health programmes, strengthening campus nutrition and physical activity initiatives, improving access to healthy food choices and recreational opportunities, promoting healthy and sustainable weight-management practices, addressing weight-related misinformation, and developing supportive university environments that encourage healthier lifestyles among female students across Nigeria.

Keywords: Obesity prevention education, weight management practices, female university students, obesity prevention, healthy lifestyle, nutrition education, physical activity, weight management, non-communicable disease prevention, university health, Nigeria, public health.