Authors
Abstract
Introduction: Obesity has now become an epidemic in Iran and there is convincing evidence that psychological factors play an important role in obesity and overweight. Given the key role of employees, as valuable human resources, in providing services and the increasing sedentary lifestyle among them, the current study aimed to explore governmental employees’ perceptions of psychological factors that affect obesity. Method: This qualitative study was conducted through content analysis. In total, 4 focus group discussions were held with groups of 8 subjects (32 subjects). Semi-structured interviews were conducted on a diverse sample of 35 obese or overweight governmental employees between February 2014 and January 2015. All interviews were audio recorded and were analyzed using the Strauss and Corbin method. Results: As a result of data analysis, the 3 main categories of poor adaptability in stressful periods, low self-efficacy, and motivators emerged. Poor adaptability in stressful periods consisted of the 5 main subcategories of periods of university entrance exam, soldiering, career, marriage, and childbirth. Low self-efficacy was explored in the 2 main subcategories of lack of positive model and the sense of lack of control over circumstances. Motivators included the subcategories of pleasure and apprehension. Conclusion: This study showed that perceptions of employees on psychological factors influencing obesity differed. Therefore, further researches, both qualitative and quantitative, are required in this field.
Keywords
1.Mackean S, Eskandari H, Borjali A , Ghodsi D .[Comparison of the effects of narrative therapy and diet therapy on the body mass index in overweight and obese women]. Iranian Journal of Nutrition Sciences & Food Technology. 2010;5(4):53-63.[persian]
2. Mohamadpour Koldeh M, Fouladvand MA, Avakh Keysami M.[ Prevalence of overweight and obesity among Bushehrian high-school girls at aged 14-17 years old] .Iranian South Medical Journal. 2011;15(3):221-232. [persian]
3. Maddah M. [The Factors associated with adult obesity in Iran: A review]. Iranian Journal of Nutrition Sciences & Food Technology.2012;7(1):119-2 . [persian]
4-World Health organization. Obesity and overweight.2015. Avaialable at:VRL: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en
5. Sikorski C, Riedel C, Luppa M, Schulze B, Werner P, Konig HH, et al. Perception of overweight and obesity from different angles: a qualitative study. Scandinavian journal of public health. 2012 May;40(3):271-7. PubMed PMID: 22637366. Epub 2012/05/29. eng.doi: 10.1177/1403494812443604
6- VanWier M.F. ALIFE@Work:The effects of a distance counseling lifestyle program for weight control among an overweight working population،(Dissertation).Netherlands: VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT:2013.
7. Taheri F, Zangoie M, Kazemi T, Zangoi Fard M, Movahed Faze M.[Prevalence of overweight and obesity in 11-15(mild-school)students in Birjand]. Journal of Birjand University of Medical Science2011;8(2):58-64. [persian]
8.Lewis S, Thomas SL, Hyde J, Castle D, Blood RW, Komesaroff PA. "I don't eat a hamburger and large chips every day!" A qualitative study of the impact of public health messages about obesity on obese adults. BMC public health. 2010;10:309. PubMed PMID: 20525310. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC2887828. Epub 2010/06/08. eng. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-309
9.Salehi-Abargouei A, Abdollahzad H, Bameri Z, Esmaillzadeh A. Underweight, overweight and obesity among zaboli adolescents: a comparison between international and iranians' national criteria. International journal of preventive medicine. 2013 May;4(5):523-30. PubMed PMID: 23930162. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC3733182. Epub 2013/08/10. eng.
10.Bahreini N, Noor MI, Koon PB, Talib RA, Lubis SH, Dashti MG, et al. Weight status among Iranian adolescents: Comparison of four different criteria. Journal of research in medical sciences : the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. 2013 Aug;18(8):641-6. PubMed PMID: 24379838. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC3872601. Epub 2014/01/01. eng.
11. Abdi J, Eftekhar H, Mahmoodi M, shojayzadeh D, Sadeghi R. [Lifestyle of employees working in Hamadan departments: An application of the trans-theoretical model]. Journal of Education and Community Health, 2014; 1 (1) ,34-40. [persian]
12. Amiri P, Ghofranipour F, Ahmadi F, Hooman H, Hosseinpanah F, Jalali-Farahani S.[ Personal Barriers to Life Style Modification in Overweight/Obese Adolescents: A Qualitative Study]. Iranian Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2010;11(5):522-528.[Persian]
13. Byrne S, Cooper Z, Fairburn C. Weight maintenance and relapse in obesity: a qualitative study. International journal of obesity. 2003 Aug;27(8):955-62. PubMed PMID: 12861237. Epub 2003/07/16. eng. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802305
14. Allender S, Cowburn G, Foster C. Understanding participation in sport and physical activity among children and adults: a review of qualitative studies. Health education research. 2006 Dec;21(6):826-35. PubMed PMID: 16857780. Epub 2006/07/22. eng. doi: 10.1093/her/cyl063
15.Corbin J, Strauss A. Basics of Qualitative Research :Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory,3th edition ,translate by Dehghan nayeri et al. Tehran, Andisherafih publication,2013.
16. Pocock M, Trivedi D, Wills W, Bunn F, Magnusson J. Parental perceptions regarding healthy behaviours for preventing overweight and obesity in young children: a systematic review of qualitative studies. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. 2010 May;11(5):338-53. PubMed PMID: 19780989. Epub 2009/09/29. eng. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2009.00648.x
17. Giles-Corti B, Macintyre S, Clarkson JP, Pikora T, Donovan RJ. Environmental and Lifestyle Factors Associated With Overweight and Obesity in Perth, Australia. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2003 2003/09/01;18(1):93-102. doi: 10.4278/0890-1171-18.1.93
18. Nuss H, Clarke K, Klohe-Lehman D, Freeland-Graves J. Influence of nutrition attitudes and motivators for eating on postpartum weight status in low-income new mothers. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2006 Nov;106(11):1774-82. PubMed PMID: 17081828. Epub 2006/11/04. eng. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2006.08.016
19. Chang MW, Nitzke S, Guilford E, Adair CH, Hazard DL. Motivators and barriers to healthful eating and physical activity among low-income overweight and obese mothers. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2008 Jun;108(6):1023-8. PubMed PMID: 18502238. Epub 2008/05/27. eng. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2008.03.004
20. Isasi CR, Parrinello CM, Jung MM, Carnethon MR, Birnbaum-Weitzman O, Espinoza RA, et al. Psychosocial stress is associated with obesity and diet quality in Hispanic/Latino adults. Annals of epidemiology. 2015 Feb;25(2):84-9. PubMed PMID: 25487969. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC4306634. Epub 2014/12/10. eng.doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.11.002
21. Hayman LW, Lee HJ, Miller AL, Lumeng JC. Low-income women's conceptualizations of emotional- and stress-eating. Appetite. 2014 Dec;83:269-76. PubMed PMID: 25218718. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC4253654. Epub 2014/09/15. eng.doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2014.09.005
22. Tod AM, Lacey A. Overweight and obesity: helping clients to take action. British journal of community nursing. 2004 Feb;9(2):59-66. PubMed PMID: 15007282. Epub 2004/03/10. eng.doi: 10.12968/bjcn.2004.9.2.12419
23. Bruss MB, Morris J, Dannison L. Prevention of childhood obesity: Sociocultural and familial factors. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2003 8//;103(8):1042-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0002-8223(03)00472-3
24. Sussner KM, Lindsay AC, Greaney ML, Peterson KE. The influence of immigrant status and acculturation on the development of overweight in Latino families: a qualitative study. Journal of immigrant and minority health / Center for Minority. Public Health. 2008 Dec;10(6):497-505. PubMed PMID: 18373200. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC3090681. Epub 2008/04/01. eng.doi: 10.1007/s10903-008-9137-3
25. Garip G, Yardley L. A synthesis of qualitative research on overweight and obese people's views and experiences of weight management. Clinical obesity. 2011 Apr;1(2-3):110-26. PubMed PMID: 25585576. Epub 2011/04/01. eng.doi: 10.1111/j.1758-8111.2011.00021.x
26. Harley AE, Rice J, Walker R, Strath SJ, Quintiliani LM, Bennett GG. Physically Active, Low-Income African American Women: An Exploration of Activity Maintenance in the Context of Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Inactivity. Women & Health. 2014;54(4):354-72. doi:10.1080/03630242.2014.896440
27. Szwajcer EM, Hiddink GJ, Koelen MA, van Woerkum CM. Nutrition-related information-seeking behaviours before and throughout the course of pregnancy: consequences for nutrition communication. European journal of clinical nutrition. 2005 Aug;59 Suppl 1:S57-65. PubMed PMID: 16052197. Epub 2005/07/30. eng. doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602175
28. Szwajcer EM, Hiddink GJ, Koelen MA, van Woerkum CM. Nutrition awareness and pregnancy: implications for the life course perspective. European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology. 2007 Nov;135(1):58-64. PubMed PMID: 17178186. Epub 2006/12/21. eng. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2006.11.012
29. Weir Z, Bush J, Robson SC, McParlin C, Rankin J, Bell R. Physical activity in pregnancy: a qualitative study of the beliefs of overweight and obese pregnant women. BMC pregnancy and childbirth. 2010;10:18. PubMed PMID: 20426815. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC2879230. Epub 2010/04/30. eng.
doi: 10.1186/1471-2393-10-18
30. Moeini B, Jalilian M, Hazavehei SMM, Moghimbeigi A.[ Promoting Physical Activity in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Theory-Based InterventionJournal of Health System Research]. 2012;8(5):824-32. [persian]
31. Campbell KJ, Crawford DA, Salmon J, Carver A,Garnett SP, Baur LA. Associations between the home food environment and obesity-promoting eating behaviors in adolescence. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2007; 15: 719-30. PMID: 17372323
32.Amiri P, Ghofranipour F, Jalali-Farahani S, Ahmadi F, Hosseinpanah F, Hooman H.[ Mothers’ Perceptions on Familial Correlates of Overweight and Obesity Related Behaviors in Adolescents: A qualitative Study] .Iranian Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2010;12(2):145-152.[Persian]
33. Hesketh K, Waters E, Green J, Salmon L, Williams J. Healthy eating, activity and obesity prevention: a qualitative study of parent and child perceptions in Australia. Health promotion international. 2005 Mar;20(1):19-26. PubMed PMID: 15668217. Epub 2005/01/26. eng. doi: 10.1093/heapro/dah503
34. Baruth M, Sharpe PA, Parra-Medina D, Wilcox S. Perceived barriers to exercise and healthy eating among women from disadvantaged neighborhoods: results from a focus groups assessment. Women Health. 2014;54(4):336-53. PubMed PMID: 24617795. Pubmed Central PMCID: PMC4058907. Epub 2014/03/13. eng. doi: 10.1080/03630242.2014.896443
)