Supplementary Material for: Global Obesity Study on Drivers for Weight Reduction Strategies

Objective: To assess factors determining the reaction of individuals to the threats of overweight and obesity and to examine the interdependencies between weight-reducing strategies. Methods: Cross-country survey covering 19 countries and 13,155 interviews. Data were analysed using a bivariate probit model that allows simultaneously analysing two weight-reducing strategies. Results: Results show that weight-reducing strategies chosen are not independent from each other. Findings also reveal that different strategies are chosen by different population segments. Women are more likely to change their dietary patterns and less likely to become physically active after surpassing a weight threshold. In addition, the probability of a dietary change in case of overweight differs considerably between countries. The study also reveals that attitudes are an important factor for the strategy choice. Conclusions: It is vital for public health policies to understand determinants of citizens' engagement in weight reduction strategies once a certain threshold is reached. Thus, results can support the design of public health campaigns and programmes that aim to change community or national health behaviour trends taking into account, e.g., national differences.

研究目标：评估决定个体对超重与肥胖威胁做出反应的影响因素，并考察各类减重策略之间的相互依存关系。研究方法：开展跨国调查，覆盖19个国家，共完成13155份访谈。采用双变量概率单位模型（bivariate probit model）对调研数据进行分析，该模型可同时对两种减重策略开展联合分析。研究结果：结果显示，受试者所选择的减重策略并非相互独立。研究同时发现，不同人口细分群体的减重策略选择存在显著差异。当个体体重突破阈值后，女性更倾向于调整饮食模式，而参与体育锻炼的可能性更低。此外，超重人群选择调整饮食的概率在各国间存在显著差异。本研究还揭示，态度是影响减重策略选择的重要因素。研究结论：公共卫生政策需充分理解公民达到特定体重阈值后参与减重策略的决定因素，因此本研究结果可辅助设计公共卫生宣传活动与项目，以改善社区或国民健康行为趋势为目标，并充分考量各国间差异等现实因素。