Journal of Preventive Medicine

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Objective This study aims to determine the effect of an educational intervention based on the health belief model (HBM) on physical activity of obese women.
Methods This is a quasi-experimental study that was conducted on 220 (110 in the intervention group and 110 in the control group) referred to comprehensive health centers in Minab, Iran, who were selected by a cluster sampling method. Information was collected by a three-part questionnaire, and the intervention was provided at 4 sessions of 45 minutes. Data were analyzed in SPSS v. 26 software using paired t-test, independent t-test, chi-square test, and McNemar’s test.
Results There was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in mean score of knowledge, metabolic equivalent of task, and HBM constructs before the educational intervention. However, three months after the intervention, a statistically significant difference was observed. Before the intervention 3 women (2.7%) in the intervention group had appropriate physical activity; after the intervention, 22 women (20%) had appropriate physical activity and this difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). In the control group, 4 women (3.6%) had appropriate physical activity before the intervention and 2 women (1.8%) had appropriate physical activity after the intervention (P=0.500).
Conclusion The educational intervention based on the HBM can increase physical activity and improve health belief in obese women.