The study was conducted to determine the relationship of physical activity,
self-esteem, and dietary intake (kilocalories, fiber, calcium, iron, vitamin A,
vitamin C, and vitamin E with obesity in 65 low-income EFNEP women.
Participants were assigned to either non-obese or obese group based on 8MI
calculation with 28 in the non-obese group and 37 in the obese group. A family
record, three-repeat random 24-hour food recalls, a 24-hour physical activity and
a self-esteem questionnaire were collected from each participant. Descriptive
statistics, ANOVA, and MANOVA and simple t-tests were calculated (P < 0.05).
Results suggest that non-obese and obese low-income women consume similar
amounts of kilocalories and inadequate intakes of the same nutrients (fiber,
calcium and vitamin E) and have very similar levels of self-esteem. They also
have similar energy expenditure with very little planned or deliberate exercise,
except that the obese group had significantly more energy expenditure in the
inactive leisure-time category (P = 0.016). Calories consumed and energy
expenditures were similar for obese women, but the non-obese women had
significantly higher energy expenditure than caloric intake (P = 0.012).
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