RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: With increasing incidence of obesity in Indonesia, behavioural modification plays an important role for its management. Applying the Trans-Theoretical Model (TTM) to assess behavioural modification readiness of obese adolescence, this study highlighted two main processes of change in TTM: emotional readiness to change (EmR) and weight consequence evaluation (WCE). Adolescence may develop difference EmR and WCE in handling obesity status especially in high school and college years, due to different phases of physic, autonomy and behavioural development. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted using validated Indonesian version of the TTM questionnaire to compare WCE and EmR scores (scale 0-100) between high school students and college freshmen group which included means comparison tests and linear regression. RESULTS: The study involved 116 obese adolescents and majority were at the action (32%) and contemplation (31%) TTM stage. After comparing 59 high school students and 57 college freshmen, EmR and WCE scores were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Both groups had good EmR score. Weight consequences awareness were only slightly higher among college freshmen compared to high school students, scoring at 78 (20-96) and 63 (30-100) respectively. Higher body mass index was associated with better EmR and WCE scores in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the obese adolescents were already at the action and contemplation phase and also had appropriate emotional readiness to change. However, compared to college students, high school adolescence needed more support to maintain their weight management, in the form of education to raise awareness of obesity consequences.