Affiliations 

  • 1 Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Hulu Langat
MyJurnal

Abstract

Introduction: Obesity is a major public health concern worldwide. The increasing prevalence of obesity in all ages can cause chronic illnesses, such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Diseases. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is generally used to classify an adult population as underweight (BMI =25.0 kgm-2) or obese (BMI >=30.0 kgm-2). The normal BMI range lies between 18.5 and 24.99 kgm-2. Physical activity is an important component of lifestyle interventions for weight loss and the prevention of weight regain. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of physical activity in reducing the obesity among the selected participants in Taman Impian Ehsan, Hulu Langat. Methods: This study was a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. The physical activity program took place three times a week for six months started from June to December 2018 which is a part of KOSPEN activity. Results: Thirty participants were recruited in the program. For pre- intervention study, 4 participants have normal body weight (BMI 18.5-24.99), 12 participants were overweight (BMI 26.0 to 30.0kgm-2) and 14 participants were obese (BMI > =30.0 kgm-2). Twenty six of participants were retained in the program while the rest quitted. Post-intervention study shows that seven participants have normal BMI, 10 partici-pants were still overweight and nine participants still categorized as obese. Post-intervention study showed that 17 participants managed to lose weight with minimum of 1.2 kg and maximum of 22.6 kg. The average reduction of the body weight was 5%. Conclusion: Physical activity is one of most feasible approach that can assist communities in developing healthy behaviours that promote weight loss and maintain ideal body weight.