Research Article
Assessment of Weight Management Practices among Adults in the United Arab Emirates
Table 2
Associations between weight management practices and weight management goals among UAE adults (Chi-square test).
| | Weight management practice | | Weight management goal | value | | Total | Lose weight | Maintain weight | Gain weight | | (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) |
| | Increasing physical activity | | | | | | | Yes | 596 (52.9) | 344 (55.1) | 214 (52.5) | 38 (40.4) | 0.028 | | No | 530 (47.1) | 280 (44.9) | 194 (47.5) | 56 (59.6) | | Eating less fat | | | | | | | Yes | 575 (51.1) | 363 (58.2) | 194 (47.5) | 18 (19.1) | <0.001 | | No | 551 (48.9) | 261 (41.8) | 214 (52.5) | 76 (80.9) | | Consuming fewer calories | | | | | | | Yes | 488 (43.3) | 335 (53.7) | 142 (34.8) | 11 (11.7) | <0.001 | | No | 638 (56.7) | 289 (46.3) | 266 (65.2) | 83 (88.3) | | Joining gym | | | | | | | Yes | 310 (27.5) | 165 (26.4) | 113 (27.7) | 32 (34.0) | 0.305 | | No | 816 (72.5) | 459 (73.6) | 295 (72.3) | 62 (66.0) | | Skipping meals | | | | | | | Yes | 294 (26.1) | 202 (32.4) | 90 (22.1) | 2 (2.1) | <0.001 | | No | 832 (73.9) | 422 (67.6) | 318 (77.9) | 92 (97.9) | | Taking natural herbs and teas | | | | | | | Yes | 233 (20.7) | 141 (22.6) | 87 (21.3) | 5 (5.3) | 0.001 | | No | 893 (79.3) | 483 (77.4) | 321 (78.7) | 89 (94.7) | | Taking special supplements for weight management | | | | | | | Yes | 193 (17.1) | 110 (17.6) | 69 (16.9) | 14 (14.9) | 0.797 | | No | 933 (82.9) | 514 (82.4) | 339 (83.1) | 80 (85.1) | | Following a popular (fad) diet | | | | | | | Yes | 149 (13.2) | 100 (16.0) | 45 (11.0) | 4 (4.3) | 0.002 | | No | 977 (86.8) | 524 (84.0) | 363 (89.0) | 90 (95.7) | | Visiting a dietitian | | | | | | | Yes | 138 (12.3) | 96 (15.4) | 31 (7.6) | 11 (11.7) | | | No | 988 (87.7) | 528 (84.6) | 377 (92.4) | 83 (88.3) | | Fasting | | | | | | | Yes | 118 (10.5) | 81 (13.0) | 37 (9.1) | 0 (0.00) | <0.00 | | No | 1008 (89.5) | 543 (87.0) | 371 (90.9) | 94 (100.0) |
| | Joining wellness centre | | | | | | | Yes | 105 (9.3) | 62 (9.9) | 31 (7.6) | 12 (12.8) | 0.220 | | No | 1021 (90.7) | 562 (90.1) | 1021 (90.7) | 82 (87.2) | | Replacement foods | | | | | | | Yes | 76 (6.7) | 32 (5.1) | 31 (7.6) | 13 (13.8) | 0.005 | | No | 1050 (93.3) | 592 (94.9) | 377 (92.4) | 81 (86.2) | | Counting calories | | | | | | | Yes | 70 (6.2) | 50 (8.0) | 17 (4.2) | 3 (3.2) | | | No | 1056 (93.8) | 574 (92.0) | 391 (95.8) | 91 (96.8) | | Using pharmacotherapy | | | | | | | Yes | 56 (5.0) | 32 (5.1) | 21 (5.1) | 3 (3.2) | 0.708 | | No | 1070 (95.0) | 592 (94.9) | 387 (94.9) | 91 (96.8) | | Consuming more calories | | | | | | | Yes | 53 (4.7) | 7 (1.1) | 12 (2.9) | 34 (36.2) | <0.001 | | No | 1073 (95.3) | 617 (98.9) | 396 (97.1) | 60 (63.8) | | Taking appetite stimulants | | | | | | | Yes | 39 (3.5) | 6 (1.0) | 15 (3.7) | 18 (19.1) | <0.001 | | No | 1087 (96.5) | 618 (99.0) | 393 (96.3) | 76 (80.9) | | Purging (vomiting) | | | | | | | Yes | 37 (3.3) | 30 (4.8) | 6 (1.5) | 1 (1.1) | 0.006 | | No | 1089 (96.7) | 594 (95.2) | 402 (98.5) | 93 (98.9) | | Eating more fat | | | | | | | Yes | 37 (3.3) | 5 (0.8) | 6 (1.5) | 26 (27.7) | <0.001 | | No | 1089 (96.7) | 619 (99.2) | 402 (98.5) | 68 (72.3) | | Subscribing a special diet | | | | | | | Yes | 34 (3.0) | 20 (3.2) | 10 (2.5) | 4 (4.3) | 0.602 | | No | 1092 (97.0) | 604 (96.8) | 398 (97.5) | 90 (95.7) | | Others | | | | | | | Yes | 11 (1.0) | 5 (0.8) | 5 (1.2) | 1 (1.1) | 0.792 | | No | 1115 (99.0) | 619 (99.2) | 403 (98.8) | 93 (98.9) | | Bariatric surgery | | | | | | | Yes | 6 (0.5) | 4 (0.6) | 2 (0.5) | 0 (0.00) | 0.721 | | No | 1120 (99.5) | 620 (99.4) | 406 (99.5) | 94 (100.0) |
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