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Impact of Physical Activity on Challenging Obesity in Pakistan: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) Study

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  • Rizwan Ahmed Laar

    (School of Sports Science and Physical Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China)

  • Shusheng Shi

    (School of Sports Science and Physical Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China)

  • Muhammad Azeem Ashraf

    (Research Institute of Educational Science, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China)

  • Muhammad Naeem Khan

    (Department of Sociology, School of social and Behavioral Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China)

  • Jannat Bibi

    (School of Physical Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an 710119, China)

  • Yibing Liu

    (School of Sports Science and Physical Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China)

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) refers to any action produced by skeletal muscle that consumes energy. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PA is the primary element that can improve health at the community level. Obviously, PA plays an important role in the social, physical, and mental development of men and women, as well as in balancing weight. However, the large-scale negative impacts of physical inactivity on health-related issues are also recognized globally, such as obesity, which is the source of many non-communication diseases (NCDs). In Pakistan alone, 46% of deaths occur due to NCD. The majority of NCD deaths are linked to obesity, and Pakistan is the ninth most obese country in the world. Research on obesity caused by sedentary work in Pakistan is lacking, especially among university employees. To fill this gap, the current study mainly focuses on the rising non-communicable disease (NCD) rates among university employees in Pakistan due to a lack of exercise (obesity, in this case), with the help of a self-designed knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire. Five universities in the Sindh province of Pakistan were surveyed ( n = 276), following the concept of Yin–Yang as a theoretical lens. The results of the current study show that the knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes of university employees have a great influence on their body mass index (BMI). The study shows that Pakistani residents’ (especially teaching staff) perceptions and attitudes towards obesity and PA have been instructive, but their practices need to be improved.

Suggested Citation

  • Rizwan Ahmed Laar & Shusheng Shi & Muhammad Azeem Ashraf & Muhammad Naeem Khan & Jannat Bibi & Yibing Liu, 2020. "Impact of Physical Activity on Challenging Obesity in Pakistan: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:7802-:d:434374
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Permani C. Weerasekara & Chandana R. Withanachchi & G. A. S. Ginigaddara & Angelika Ploeger, 2020. "Food and Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Reproductive-age Women in Marginalized Areas in Sri Lanka," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-21, June.
    2. Qiong Tang & Qian Lin & Qiping Yang & Minghui Sun & Hanmei Liu & Lina Yang, 2020. "Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Adolescent Parents on Free Sugar and Influencing Factors about Recognition," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-12, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yi Ge & Qi Zhang & Miao Wang & Lei Zhang & Shusheng Shi & Rizwan Ahmed Laar, 2022. "Restrictions on Pakistani Female Students’ Participation in Sports: A Statistical Model of Constraints," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, November.

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