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Abstract #165734

Angelina Marie Ahedo, BA and Jay Maddock, PhD. Public Health Sciences, University of Hawaii, 1960 East West Road, Honolulu, HI 96822, 808-956-5344, ahedo@hawaii.edu

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference between the use of diet and exercise as a way to lose weight in different ethnic, gender, and BMI groups. Data were from a cross-sectional random-digit dial telephone survey of 4,594 Hawai'i residents in 2006. A total of 2,133 (46.4%) participants reported to be trying to lose weight, and were then asked if they were dieting or exercising to lose weight. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Pearson Chi-Square test. Women in all BMI groups were more likely to be trying to lose weight than men (p < .05), and 37.9% of women of normal BMI were trying to lose weight. Men were more likely than women to use exercise to lose weight (p < .05). There were no significant differences in trying to lose weight between ethnic groups, however overweight Native Hawaiians (NH) were less likely to report trying to lose weight than all other ethnicities. More NH of normal BMI reported using diet and exercise. Both Chinese and Japanese groups of normal or overweight BMI status were least likely to use diet and exercise. Less than half of obese White, NH, and Japanese reported using diet to lose weight (p < .05). There are cultural and gender differences in the perceived need to lose weight and in the use of diet or exercise to lose weight. Future research should further examine these differences to best target certain ethnic and gender groups for weight loss interventions.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the cultural and gender differences in what method they choose to use to lose weight.
• Analyze the influence of BMI on different ethnic and gender groups and the use diet or exercise to lose weight.
• Describe the importance of the cultural differences in best implementing weight loss education and motivation interventions in Hawai’i.

Keywords: Public Health,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.