The influence of social relationships and activities on the health of adults with obesity: a qualitative study
The influence of social relationships and activities on the health of adults with obesity: a qualitative study
Background: obesity in adults is a leading health challenge that causes millions of deaths worldwide and represents a risk factor for developing long-term conditions. Social relationships are one of the multiple drivers shaping obesity and obesity-related practices. However, there is still little evidence as to the processes by which relationships influence the adoption of positive and negative obesity health-related practices—eating, physical activity and alcohol intake. This study aims first to identify the types of relationships relevant to the adoption of practices in adults with obesity and, second, to explore the type of activities these relationships engage with or promote to produce those practices and their potential health consequences.
Methods: nineteen adults who have or had a history of obesity living in the United Kingdom were interviewed between May 2020 and March 2021. Experiences were explored through semi-structured interviews and network mapping via videoconferencing. Data were analysed using a hermeneutic phenomenology informed thematic analysis.
Results: three main themes were identified: (1) everyday familial routines matter, (2) chasing healthier lifestyles: comparing, modelling and connecting emotionally with friends and (3) healthcare professionals as negative influencers.
Discussion and conclusions: findings show how different types of relationships might shape the risk of developing and losing weight. They uncover the power of informal networks (family and friends) and highlight the potentially negative impact of formal ones (healthcare professionals). Our exploration could add to arguments about the need for stakeholders confronting obesity to be aware of the relevance of everyday social relationships in health and well-being strategies for tackling the issue, in creating collective and individual person-centred long-term sustainable actions.
Patient and public contribution: feedback on the tone/content of the interview questions was provided by the two first participants. The results were checked and received feedback from one of the interviewees.
lived experience, obesity, overweight, qualitative research, social networks, social relationships
1892-1903
Serrano-Fuentes, Nestor
a61ca307-6fd1-42c9-9d81-315f4027f4aa
Rogers, Anne
105eeebc-1899-4850-950e-385a51738eb7
Portillo, Mari Carmen
f913b5c5-b949-48f2-b1d0-eb7505484d5c
24 June 2022
Serrano-Fuentes, Nestor
a61ca307-6fd1-42c9-9d81-315f4027f4aa
Rogers, Anne
105eeebc-1899-4850-950e-385a51738eb7
Portillo, Mari Carmen
f913b5c5-b949-48f2-b1d0-eb7505484d5c
Serrano-Fuentes, Nestor, Rogers, Anne and Portillo, Mari Carmen
(2022)
The influence of social relationships and activities on the health of adults with obesity: a qualitative study.
Health Expectations, 25 (4), .
(doi:10.1111/hex.13540).
Abstract
Background: obesity in adults is a leading health challenge that causes millions of deaths worldwide and represents a risk factor for developing long-term conditions. Social relationships are one of the multiple drivers shaping obesity and obesity-related practices. However, there is still little evidence as to the processes by which relationships influence the adoption of positive and negative obesity health-related practices—eating, physical activity and alcohol intake. This study aims first to identify the types of relationships relevant to the adoption of practices in adults with obesity and, second, to explore the type of activities these relationships engage with or promote to produce those practices and their potential health consequences.
Methods: nineteen adults who have or had a history of obesity living in the United Kingdom were interviewed between May 2020 and March 2021. Experiences were explored through semi-structured interviews and network mapping via videoconferencing. Data were analysed using a hermeneutic phenomenology informed thematic analysis.
Results: three main themes were identified: (1) everyday familial routines matter, (2) chasing healthier lifestyles: comparing, modelling and connecting emotionally with friends and (3) healthcare professionals as negative influencers.
Discussion and conclusions: findings show how different types of relationships might shape the risk of developing and losing weight. They uncover the power of informal networks (family and friends) and highlight the potentially negative impact of formal ones (healthcare professionals). Our exploration could add to arguments about the need for stakeholders confronting obesity to be aware of the relevance of everyday social relationships in health and well-being strategies for tackling the issue, in creating collective and individual person-centred long-term sustainable actions.
Patient and public contribution: feedback on the tone/content of the interview questions was provided by the two first participants. The results were checked and received feedback from one of the interviewees.
Text
Health Expectations - 2022 - Serrano‐Fuentes - The influence of social relationships and activities on the health of adults
- Accepted Manuscript
Text
Health Expectations - 2022 - Serrano‐Fuentes - The influence of social relationships and activities on the health of adults
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 17 May 2022
Published date: 24 June 2022
Additional Information:
Funding Information: our thanks go to the National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration for Wessex (NIHR ARC Wessex) for the funding to carry out this study. Also, the authors want to thank all the participants for accepting being interviewed on such a sensitive topic and during challenging times (COVID‐19 pandemic). Finally, the authors would like to thank Jackie Barney for her help with the transcripts.
Keywords:
lived experience, obesity, overweight, qualitative research, social networks, social relationships
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 469064
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/469064
ISSN: 1369-6513
PURE UUID: ec58b356-d334-48a3-bd90-f24ec4f783a8
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Date deposited: 05 Sep 2022 17:06
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:19
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Author:
Nestor Serrano-Fuentes
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