Understanding obesity among young adults in India: A focus group study

Introduction

The study aims to understand the knowledge and awareness about risk factors and consequences of obesity, barriers and motivators to weight loss, and potential solutions for weight management among young adults (YAs) in India.

Method

Six focus group discussions were conducted with an inductive approach among obese YAs (18–30 years) recruited through snowball and purposive sampling. The principle of maximum diversity was used to build a pool of varied and extensive information regarding obesity in YAs. The discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim using NVivo 1.0 by QSR International to generate codes, subthemes, and themes from the discussions.

Result

Among the thirty recruited YAs (mean age 24.7 ± 2.84 years), nearly half were from a high-income group (56.6 %) and had postgraduate education (53.3 %). Key themes included the need for increased awareness about obesity risk factors and consequences across different societal levels. Physical appearance was the primary motivator for weight loss, followed by physical endurance and social support. Major barriers included lack of energy, time, motivation, lifestyle changes, easy access to unhealthy foods, work commitments, and workplace culture. A holistic approach involving dietary changes, physical activity, and educational and policy reforms was suggested as potential solutions.

Conclusion

The challenges faced by YAs in developing countries regarding different aspects of the development and management of obesity are unique and different from the other population groups. Individualized weight management modules may be useful for managing obesity in this group.