The Effect of Transtheoretical Model-Based Online Health Education on Nutrition and Physical Activity Change Processes in Overweight University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Overweight and obesity have emerged as critical global public health issues, as they elevate the risk of non-communicable diseases. The university years constitute a pivotal phase characterized by the prevalence of detrimental food practices and inconsistent physical exercise, hence intensifying associated health concerns. This study seeks to assess the influence of an online health education program, grounded in the Transtheoretical Model, on the dietary and physical activity behavior modification processes of overweight university students.

Methods: This study was designed as a two-arm, parallel, randomized controlled clinical trial. The research was conducted at a foundation university in Turkey, involving 54 overweight students who satisfied the inclusion criteria and participated in training sessions once a week for one month. Participants were randomly assigned to intervention (n=27) and control (n=27) groups. The intervention group had online health education grounded in the Transtheoretical Model for four weeks, while the control group got no intervention. Measurements were taken before and after the test using the Nutrition Change Processes Scale, Exercise Change Processes Scale, and the Transtheoretical Model Stage of Change Form.

Results:The intervention group demonstrated a statistically significant increase in scores on the Nutrition Improvement Processes Scale and Exercise Change Processes Scale (p<0.05), while the control group exhibited no significant improvement. A larger percentage of students in the intervention group progressed to the action and maintenance stages compared to those in the control group.

Conclusions: The online health education based on the Transtheoretical Model significantly influenced dietary and physical activity behavior changes among overweight students. The results demonstrate that organized health education initiatives might enhance motivation and facilitate enduring behavioral change among university students. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT05482659