Abstract
Background A higher prevalence of obesity in men compared to women, particularly amongst those 18 to 40 years of age, has been observed in Singapore. We hypothesised that poor adaptation during the transition out of full-time National Service (NS) among young men may have contributed to weight gain and we sought to understand these underlying drivers. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with young men (n=26; aged 19-25 years), 12 months after they had completed full-time NS. The interviews were guided by the health belief model to elicit perceived factors influencing weight change during the transition period, as well as barriers and motivators in weight management. Data was collected and cross-checked by two researchers, and analysed using the thematic analysis approach. Results The participants generally perceived themselves to be less fit and less healthy one year later, as compared to during full-time NS. They felt that reduced physical activity levels and unhealthy eating behaviours contributed to their perceived weight gain. However, they did not have immediate concerns about their perceived change in weight. While most were aware of the benefits of regular physical activity, benefits of healthy eating were rarely mentioned. Many did not view healthy lifestyle behaviours as a current priority, citing reasons which included: Time pressures, incongruence with current lifestyle, or poor self-motivation. Other barriers included a lack of access to healthy food choices and insufficient common leisure time to exercise with peers. Motivators for these lifestyle behaviours were mostly intrinsic, including interest in a particular sport, having personal fitness goals and personal preferences for healthy food options. Participants also described healthy eating as a means to compensate for inactivity or unhealthy food choices. Extrinsic motivators included peer influence, access to sports facilities, healthy food options and monetary incentives.ConclusionThere remains a need to educate young men transiting out of full-time NS on lifestyle, weight and health, and address their misconceptions in particular. Creating a healthy environment and providing appropriate incentives would be important to facilitate a smooth transition out of full-time NS, minimising the risk of unhealthy weight gain in young men.
Benefits of Family Meals
