Adherence
Patients with severe obesity perceive obesity as a disease due to a lack of control and addiction-like mechanisms, yet simultaneously maintain a belief in personal responsibility and self-blame, creating a barrier to accepting the disease label fully.
Understand that accepting obesity as a disease is complex for many patients. While biological factors like genetics and appetite dysregulation play a huge role, many patients still feel personal responsibility. This internal conflict can hinder treatment. Healthcare providers should address this shame and the 'addiction' narrative to help patients accept medical interventions without feeling they are failing morally.
Participants in this study were divided whether obesity could be defined as a disease. Four core themes were emergent from the data including (a) addiction and lack of control, (b) biological determined, (c) personal responsibility, and (d) a lack of understanding.
Why this rating
Qualitative study with 23 participants; findings are illustrative but not generalizable to the broader population statistically.
Source
“You Are Always at War With Yourself” The Perceptions and Beliefs of People With Obesity Regarding Obesity as a Disease
Andrew Grannell et al. · Qualitative Health Research · 2021
DOI 10.1177/10497323211040767
More from this paper
- Patients perceive lifestyle factors (diet, exercise) and biological factors (genetics, metabolism) as causes of obesity, but often lack understanding of the biological mechanisms, leading to a focus on willpower and emotional eating as primary determinants of weight loss maintenance.Moderate
- Patients perceive emotional eating, driven by stress, depression, and childhood adversity, as a significant cause of obesity and a barrier to weight loss maintenance.Moderate
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