As obesity continues to increase throughout the world, there is still no well-defined solution to the issue. Reducing obesity poses a significant challenge for the health care system because it is a complex problem with numerous interconnections and elements. The complexity of obesity challenges traditional primary care practices that have been structured to address simple or less complicated conditions. Systems thinking provides a way forward for clinicians that are discouraged or overwhelmed by the complexity of obesity. At any given level, individuals matter and system functioning is optimized when our capacity is well matched to the complexity of our tasks. Shifting paradigms around the causes of obesity is essential for creating a health care system that promotes innovative and collaborative practice for healthcare practitioners and individuals dealing with obesity.
Current research supports the complexity of obesity and the need for collaboration between sectors to create change, yet there is still a pervasive perception that individuals are to blame for their weight.The Applied Research Collaborations for Health Research group, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia conducted key informant interviews to examine the beliefs of service users, health practitioners and policy makers regarding obesity. These data were used to conduct a secondary analysis using qualitative analysis methodology to explore perceptions of obesity within a complex systems framework.Three major themes were common among participant groups. There was a desire for immediate results, a focus on individual blame and a resultant tension for change.Exploring these themes using a complex system lens demonstrated the importance of engaging contradictory groups to work together in a collaborative framework. Aligning paradigms across the treatment spectrum is crucial to working towards solutions that embrace complexity.
Lee Johnston is currently pursuing a PhD in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University. Her research interests include health promotion policy and planning, complex systems applications in public health, and health communication.
Sarah FroodSarah Frood is a second year MSc student in the Faculty of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University. Her research interests include obesity, weight bias and the use of complex systems approaches in public health.
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