Examining Health Literacy and Weight Management among Adults with Chronic Disease

Poor weight management and obesity are growing public health concerns particularly among adults with chronic diseases. Better weight management and weight loss can help lower blood pressure. This study examines the association between health literacy and adherence to good weight management practices in adults with hypertension. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire at a primary health care clinic (n=196). Health literacy was assessed using the Newest Vital Signs measure. Weight management practices were assessed using 10 items related to exercise, diet, portion control, and utilization of food labels. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The majority (75.5%) of the participants were African American; 67.3% were female. The mean age was 56. Only 28.2% of participants had good health literacy and 84.2% were overweight or obese (BMI > 25). In unadjusted analyses, patients with good health literacy had 43% reduced odds of adherence to good weight management (OR=0.57; 95% CI 0.513-0.627) as compared to those with inadequate health literacy. After adjusting for race and presence of heart disease, the association was magnified to 57% reduced odds (OR=0.43; 95% CI 0.513-0.627) but was not statistically significant. Good health literacy is not sufficient for proper weight management. The lack of association between health literacy and weight management may indicate that proper nutrition and exercise are not yet priorities for patients diagnosed with hypertension. Physicians and health educators should emphasize the importance of proper weight management as a self-care activity for hypertension.