A SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW TO STUDY THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO OBESITY AMONG MALAYSIAN SECONDARY STUDENTS

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity among Malaysian secondary school students is increasing gradually. NHMS 2019 reveals that 29.8% children of the age five to 17 years have excess body weight. Prolonged energy imbalance which is caused by high calorie diet consumption and physical inactiveness, could lead to excess body weight. Despite several measures and initiatives, the prevalence of obesity among Malaysian secondary students is hiking up, presumably due to some reasons. Hence, this qualitative study is carried out to investigate the factors contributing to obesity among Malaysian secondary students. A semi-structured interview was conducted incorporating the students, parents, teachers and health officials, after obtaining a written consent. The study shows factors such as environment, existing health condition, dietary pattern and sedentary lifestyle could contribute to obesity.