Behavioral change of eating habits and physical activity in overweight Mexican women: barriers and facilitators/Cambio conductual de hábitos alimentarios y actividad física en mujeres mexicanas con sobrepeso: barreras y facilitadores

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are risk factors for the development of chronic diseases, mostly attributed to physical inactivity and unhealthy eating habits. The aim of this study was to identify the barriers and facilitators for behavioral change in physical activity, and the regulation of eating habits in a group of overweight Mexican women to design a behavior modification intervention based on the Capacity, Opportunity, Motivation and Behavior (COM-B) model. A qualitative study was carried out using an action-research design; Through a focus group, data was collected from six women with a semi-structured interview. A deductive content analysis was carried out, and we could identify that the main barriers to behavioral changes in health were information deficit, negative emotional states, environmental interactions, and lack of social support; likewise, the main facilitators include the consequences of behavior at an aesthetic and health level and having the support of family and friends. Based on what was found, a group of intervention procedures are suggested that correspond to the COM-B model and that can be applied to design and test the effects of interventions on health behaviors and thus prevent the development of chronic diseases.