The effect of nutrition education on weight loss, eating behaviors and some biochemical parameters in women applying to an obesity center

Karaer Taştan, S., The Effect of Nutrition Education on Weight Loss, Eating Behavior, and Some Biochemical Parameters in Women Applying to the Obesity Center. Hacettepe University, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Dietetics Program, Master Thesis, Ankara, 2024. This study was conducted over a three-month follow-up period on 60 obese (BMI >30kg/m2) women aged 19-64 who applied to the Obesity Center to investigate the effect of nutrition education on body weight, eating behavior and some biochemical parameters. Two study groups were formed among women who applied to the obesity center: those who received nutrition education (1 hour/week of continuous nutrition education for 3 months) and those who did not receive this education (individual diet therapy and education with energy restriction were provided at the time of application, and they attended two follow-up consultations within three months). General characteristics, health status, and dietary habits were collected through face-to-face questionnaire at the initial interview. At the beginning, middle, and end of the study, women's 24-hour dietary intake records and food consumption frequencies, nutrition knowledge level (Nutrition Knowledge Level Scale for Adults), physical activity status (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form), eating behavior (Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire) were assessed. Additionally, some anthropometric measurements were taken, body compositions and some routinely measured biochemical parameters were recorded. Following the intervention, the nutrition knowledge level increased in both groups; however, the scores of those consistently receiving nutrition education were found to be higher (p<0.001). In the nutrition education group, weight loss, fat loss, decreases in waist circumference, and BMI were significantly higher compared to the other group (p<0.001). In both groups, while there is an increase in restricted eating behavior towards eating habits (p<0.001; p=0.018), there is a decrease in emotional eating and external eating situations (p=0.006; p=0.044). The reductions in fasting blood glucose, HOMA-IR, total cholesterol, LDL, and CRP levels in individuals in the nutrition education group were found to be significantly higher compared to the other group (p<0.001). The results confirmed that continuous nutrition education has an effective and important role in the treatment of obesity.