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Abstract
Purpose. To describe adolescents’ perceptions of obesity treatment in order to provide valuable information for design and development of treatment.
Method. A nominated sample of 18 obese adolescents (12 girls, 14–16 years, body mass index (BMI) 25–47.4 kg·m−2), recruited from a paediatric obesity clinic, participated in semi-structured interviews. These were analysed using a phenomenographic research approach. Purposeful sampling reflected variations in age, gender, degree of obesity, weight loss achievement, ethnicity, time of registration and socioeconomic status.
Results. The adolescents expressed numerous physical, psychological and social disabilities as a consequence of their obesity. Qualitatively different ways of perceiving and responding to obesity treatment were identified and could be described in six categories of descriptions and a two-dimensional construct for interpreting these categories; (a) personal empowerment, (b) despair and disappointment, (c) safety and relief, (d) ambivalence and uncertainty, (e) acceptance and realisation and (f) shame and guilt. The distinguishing structures to be found between the categories were as follows: focus on the individual and focus on body weight.
Conclusions. Treatment strategies must consider the large impact obesity has on adolescents’ lives. It is necessary to engage the obese adolescent personally in the treatment process and to focus on the adolescents’ personal needs, goals and motive for weight reduction.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Swedish Research Council no. 9941, the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, and the Health Care Sciences Postgraduate School, Karolinska Institutet.