The psychological effects that obesity has on individuals between 18 and 30 and how it affects their lifestyle/daily routine : a qualitative study

Abstract

Obesity is defined as a condition where a person has excessive amounts of adipose tissue, which can lead to negative health implications (WHO, 2013). However, obesity does not only bring about negative health implications, but also, negative psychological effects. The main aim of my study was to understand how being obese effects the way one looks at their body-image, and also, how obesity affects a person’s daily life. A qualitative research design was used, conducting 5 semi-structured interviews with individuals who are between 18 and 30 and having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 and over. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analysis the data. It resulted that, at some point or another all the participants were self-conscious about their body-image, affecting their self-esteem. Though, to some, health became more important than their body-image. It was found that, support and encouragement were important for the participants to keep motivated to lose weight. This study showed that whenever the participants encounter a problem, they would turn to food for comfort, finding themselves in the vicious cycle of obesity.