運用臉書社群網站提升社區肥胖民眾使用健康減重服務比率

Using the Facebook Social Networking Website to Improve the Utilization of Weight Loss Programs by Community Obese Adults

背景：因肥胖健康問題之嚴重性，推行社區健康減重計畫顯得重要，但發現BMI（body mass index）≥27kg/m2成人的減重需求比率遠大於實際使用健康減重服務比率，顯示健康服務存在可及性問題，進而影響減重成效。目的：透過重新審視健康服務可及性，提供可近性高的減重服務以提升其使用率。解決方法：透過電訪體位肥胖民眾以了解雖有減重意願但未使用減重服務之原因，主要原因為時間無法配合、服務提供方式未符合需求、距離不便，設計以社會認知理論為基礎並以臉書為平台，提供即時、正確健康減重相關資訊、激勵話語、體重管理及即時方便的諮詢服務，並建立獎勵機制及有創意的減重服務標語行銷。結果：體位肥胖民眾使用健康減重服務比率由54.7%提升至78.1%，也幫助學員平均減重3.4公斤。結論：本專案透過調整健康減重服務可及性，成功提升體位肥胖民眾使用健康減重服務比率，進而增加了體位肥胖民眾減重成效，以達健康促進最大化。 Background & Problems: In light of the known impacts of obesity on well-being, we regularly work to promote weight loss programs in community settings. However, we found that a gap exists between the need for weight loss and the utilization of healthy weight loss programs among BMI (body mass index) ≥ 27 kg/m2 adults. The low utilization of healthy weight loss programs may lower the overall benefit of these programs. Purpose: We reexamined access to health services and developed an accessible weight loss program for BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2 adults that would improve the overall utilization of healthy weight loss programs. Resolution: A telephone survey for obese adults was conducted to explore the reasons that discouraged persons in this group to not use our weight loss programs. The main reasons identified were: program schedules did not fit with respondent's daily schedule, the unsuitable services provided, and the overly long distance to the weight loss class. The social-cognitive-theory-based 1-year weight loss program that was developed provided immediate and accurate information about weight loss, inspiring words, weight management advice, and immediate and convenient consultation services. Moreover, this program established an incentives system on a social networking platform (Facebook) and was marketed under a creative slogan. Results: The developed weight loss program increased not only program utilization (from 54.7% to 78.1%) but also reduced the average weight of obese adult participants by 3.4 kg. Conclusions: This program adjusted existing weight loss programs and improved the utilization of weight loss programs. These results may be applied elsewhere to increase weight-loss efficacy and to maximize health.