TITLE:
A Sustainable Digital Nutrition Education to Combat Workplace Obesity in Omani Higher Education Institutions: A Conceptual Paper Aligning Vision 2040 with the UN SDGs
AUTHORS:
Maryam Rahman, Mahmoud Abouraia
KEYWORDS:
Obesity, Sustainable Digital Nutrition Education, Social Cognitive Theory, Self-Determination Theory, Technology Acceptance Model
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Business and Management,
Vol.14 No.3,
May
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: Obesity is a growing public health and productivity concern in Oman, particularly within higher education workplace settings in Oman, characterized by sedentary behaviors and poor dietary habits. According to the Oman Ministry of Health (2021), approximately 29% of the adult working population is classified as obese based on Body Mass Index (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), reflecting an estimated increase of 6 percentage points compared to national health estimates reported in 2018. This conceptual paper proposes a Sustainable Digital Nutrition Education (SDNE) framework designed to address workplace obesity in Oman’s higher education sector through the integration of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The framework aligns with Oman’s Vision 2040 and UN Sustainable Development Goals such as UN SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), which emphasize public health, workforce productivity, and sustainable consumption. It also responds to future market trends in the food and beverage and healthcare sectors, where digitalization, AI-driven nutrition tools, and personalized wellness platforms are transforming how organizations approach employee well-being. The conceptual synthesis suggests that enhancing employees’ self-efficacy, autonomy, perceived usefulness, and workplace incentives may improve participation in digital nutrition initiatives. The study concludes that culturally adaptive and policy-integrated SDNE strategies can yield long-term health benefits and measurable productivity gains within Omani higher education institutions.