Table 2.
Associations between weight management practices and weight management goals among UAE adults (Chi-square test).
| Weight management practice | Weight management goal | p value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Lose weight | Maintain weight | Gain weight | ||
| N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | ||
| 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) | 0.001 |
| 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) | <0.001 |
| 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) | 0.020 |
| 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) | |