Evaluating barriers to and enablers of adherence to lifestyle changes in adult morbidly obese patients

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: The foundation of obesity management comprises lifestyle changes that are based on healthy eating, physical activities that increase daily energy expenditure, and behavior adjustments that make these changes sustainable. The aim of our study is to comprehensively assess the barriers and enablers experienced by adult morbidly obese patients throughout their adherence to lifestyle change recommendations METHOD: This research is of a descriptive nature and conducted using a qualitative approach. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of seven questions: five querying socio-demographic characteristics, one querying anthropometric measurements, and one evaluating adherence to lifestyle changes. Additionally, a semi-structured interview form containing five open-ended questions aimed at examining the experiences of morbidly obese individuals in depth was employed. The insights obtained through in-depth interviews were categorized into categories, sub-themes, and themes. RESULTS: In the study, 17 morbidly obese patients participated, consisting of 14 females (82.3%) and 3 males (17.6%). The average age of the participants was determined to be 47.76 ± 14.88 Standard Deviation (SD). Based on the findings obtained in our research, categories including general health status, intrinsic motivation, social relationships and interactions, presence of opportunities, beliefs in controllability and adequacy were identified. These categories were categorized under two themes, namely barriers and enablers. CONCLUSION: The barriers and enablers to adopting lifestyle changes should be addressed at the beginning of treatment, and personalized recommendations should be provided accordingly. It is known that if adherence is improved, treatment effectiveness, health outcomes, and the ultimate burden of chronic diseases can be improved. Additionally, interventions such as personalized treatment and focusing on psychosocial well-being, which may be indispensable for morbidly obese individuals, will contribute significantly to the management of obesity.