'Do I care?' Young adults' recalled experiences of early adolescent overweight and obesity: a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Individual behaviour change to reduce obesity requires awareness of, and concern about, weight. This paper therefore describes how young adults, known to have been overweight or obese during early adolescence, recalled early adolescent weight-related awareness and concerns. Associations between recalled concerns and weight-, health- and peer-related survey responses collected during adolescence are also examined.

Design

Qualitative semi-structured interviews with young adults; data compared with responses to self-report questionnaires obtained in adolescence.

Participants

A total of 35 participants, purposively sub-sampled at age 24 from a longitudinal study of a school year cohort, previously surveyed at ages 11, 13 and 15. Physical measures during previous

SUBMITTER: Smith E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3572401 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature