Abstract:
This research was a cross-sectional study, aimed to investigate the relationship between nutrition literacy and food consumption behaviors among obesity patients in Lampang Hospital and to describe nutrition literacy and food consumption behaviors among obesity patients in Lampang Hospital. The study sample comprised 210 patients aged 1959 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m or higher, attending the Chronic Disease Internal Medicine Clinic at the Outpatient Department of Lampang Hospital. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, were used to analyze the data. Pearsons correlation coefficient was employed to examine the relationships between variables, with the statistical significance level set at 0.05. The results showed that the majority of participants were female 65.7%. Regarding body mass index (BMI), 31.4% had a BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/mฒ, and 68.6% had a BMI of 30 kg/mฒ or higher. The average nutrition literacy score among participants was 94.40 (SD = 16.18) with a maximum possible score of 155. When considering the level of nutrition literacy, the majority were at a moderate level (55.7%), followed by a low level (41.9%). The average score of food consumption behaviors was 92.41 (SD = 9.86) with a maximum possible score of 145. Most participants demonstrating a fair level (63.3%), followed by an improvable level (35.3%). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between nutrition literacy and food consumption behaviors (r = 0.584, P < 0.001). When considering each component of nutrition literacy, all components showed statistically significant positive correlations with food consumption behaviors: access to nutrition information (r = 0.340, P < 0.001), cognitive nutrition information (r = 0.277, P < 0.001), communication of nutrition information (r = 0.363, P < 0.001), self-management in nutrition (r = 0.492, P < 0.001), decision-making in nutritional practices (r = 0.535, P < 0.001), and media literacy in nutrition (r = 0.422, P < 0.001). These findings can be used as a guideline to promote nutrition literacy in all components, aiming to enhance nutrition literacy among obesity patients with chronic non-communicable diseases, thereby improving their food consumption behaviors and reducing risks and severity associated with such diseases.