Association of body image and health beliefs with health behaviors in patients with diabetes: a cross-sectional study.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between body image, health beliefs, and health behavior in patients with diabetes classified according to body mass index (BMI).MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in a community hospital between January and April 2010. One-hundred-sixty-eight patients with diabetes were enrolled. Main measure was the previously published and validated Health Belief Questionnaire. Data were analyzed and compared between two groups, one with BMI ≥ 24 Kg/m2 and another with BMI < 24 Kg/m2.ResultsPerceived body image affected health behavior of patients with BMI ≥ 24 Kg/m2 but did not affect health behavior in patients with BMI < 24 Kg/m2. Multivariate analysis found a positive association between health behavior and appearance evaluation and between health behavior and health evaluation in high BMI group. No significant association was found between body image and health behavior in the low BMI group. Patients with high BMI had lower body image than ...