TITLE:
Qualitative studies of obesity: A review of methodology
AUTHORS:
Ian Brown, Jill Gould
KEYWORDS:
Obesity; Stigma; Qualitative Methods; Researcher Reflexivity
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.5 No.8C,
August
23,
2013
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: There is
a developing interest in qualitative research to understand
the perspectives and experiences of people
living with obesity. However, obesity is a stigmatised condition associated
with negative stereotypes. Social contexts emphasizing large body size as a
problem, including research interviews, may amplify obesity
stigma. This study reviews the methodology
employed by qualitative studies in which study participants were obese and data
collection involved face-to-face interviews. METHODS: Database searches
identified qualitative studies meeting inclusion criteria from 1995 to 2012.
Following screening and appraisal data were systematically extracted and analyzed
from 31 studies. RESULTS: The studies included 1206 participants with a mean age of 44 years
and mean BMI of37 kg/m2.
Women (78.8%) outnumbered men (21.2%) by four to one. Socio-economic
background was not consistently reported. The studies employed similar,
typically pragmatic, qualitative methodologies, providing rich textual data
on the experience of obesity derived from face-to-face interviews. The majority
considered quality issues in data collection, analyses and generalizability
of findings. However, the studies were weak as regards researcher reflexivity
in relation to interviewer characteristics and obesity stigma. CONCLUSIONS:
The impact of obesity stigma has not been attended to in the qualitative research. Clear information about
study participants is essential, but studies
involving face-to-face interviews should also report on
interviewer characteristics including body size.