Determinants of Physical Activity and Dietary Habits among Adults in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Kingsley Agyemang, Amrit Banstola, Subhash Pokhrel and Nana Anokye
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Kingsley Agyemang: Division of Global Public Health, Department of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
Subhash Pokhrel: Division of Global Public Health, Department of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
Nana Anokye: Division of Global Public Health, Department of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 8, 1-12

Abstract: A critical understanding of the interrelationship between two behavioral decisions—participating in physical activity, and eating healthily—is lacking in Ghana. This study aimed to determine which factors affect each of the two behavioral decisions, jointly and separately, among adults aged 18 years or older in three metropolises (Kumasi, Accra, and Tamale) of Ghana. The data from the Ghana Obesity Survey 2021 were used. A bivariate probit model was fitted to estimate nonlinear models that indicate an individual’s joint decision to participate in physical activity and consume a healthy diet. A positive correlation (r = 0.085; p < 0.05) was found between these two decisions, indicating a relationship between these two behavioral decisions. The common correlates between these decisions were self-reported good health status, high income, and attitudes toward being overweight. Men were more likely to be physically active but less likely to eat well. Both religion and culture determined participation in physical activity, but not the consumption of a healthy diet. Marital status determined diet, but not physical activity. The new knowledge gained from this analysis around the nature and the extent of the interconnectedness between physical activity and diet is critical to devising targeted interventions for obesity prevention in Ghana.

Keywords: obesity; non-communicable diseases (NCDs); physical activity; diet; Ghana (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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