Being with others during physical activity: experiences of well-being among adults with severe obesity

Abstract

Background: The experience of physical activity is influenced by social relations and gendered roles. Group-based lifestyle interventions are considered effective in promoting physical activity, yet the experiences of being active with others are unknown among individuals with severe obesity. Purpose: To explore how individuals with severe obesity experience being with others during physical activity. Methods: A qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study of repeated single gender focus group interviews was conducted with adults living with severe obesity during group-based lifestyle intervention. The Danish Data Protection Agency (J. no.1-16-02-425-15) approved the study. Results: Three themes were developed: 'Enjoying safety, kinship and belonging among peers'; 'Feeling like a failure is shameful: a sense of aversion' and 'Striving to feel at home in physical activity: needing distance from others'. The themes were merged into 'Achieving wellbeing may always be a challenge: not feeling at home in the group or in body'. Conclusion: Intersubjective and spatial dimensions of experiences are central and influence how individuals with severe obesity can feel wellbeing and 'at home' in physical activity. Physiotherapists should be aware of the individuals' vulnerability regarding feelings of failure, aversion and shame as well as awareness of gendered norms and roles.

It Is “All About Relationships” in Lifestyle Programmes for Adults Living With Type Two Diabetes Underpinned by a Person/Whānau-Centred Care Approach

“…The developing nature of the multi-directional relationships and co-creation of knowledge during the initial 12-week DCEP programme reflects what Gibson et al called “care(ful) tinkering” [ 39 , p. 1529] leading to the outcome that Toff et al described as “importance of wellbeing as a sense of feeling at home in physical activity” [ 7 , p. 11]. Our findings build further understandings of person/whānau-centred care within the rehabilitation context of long-term health conditions.…”

“…Many people with T2D, such as those participating in our trial, live disenfranchised lives, for instance with very poor health (multimorbidity, polypharmacy), cultural inequities, low socio-economic, or challenging social conditions. Such marginalisation does not facilitate engagement in exercise ( 7 ). Our DCEP attendees did however engage in DCEP as they considered their “person” had been attended to—they spoke of the relationships (being in relation and in a social world), being enabled to engage whilst balancing the outside world (being in place) and being empowered through knowledge, not just for themselves but being able to use this knowledge for others (being with self).…”

“…Participation in exercise and/or physical activity is important in the management of T2D ( 5 ), but given the long-term nature of T2D, it should be lifelong engagement, and this can be challenging to achieve ( 6 ). Sociological factors, such as sense or absence of wellbeing and feelings of safety among others, vulnerability to failure, aversion and shame can influence why and how a person engages in exercise or physical activity ( 7 ). To our knowledge, no study has reported on the physical activity levels of people with T2D in NZ.…”

Good Things Don't Always Come in Small Packages

“…Research also demonstrates the interdisciplinary nature of the need for RESPECT when caring for persons with Class 3 obesity. Toft and colleagues 58 performed a qualitative (phenomenological) study on obese persons engaging in physical therapy. Patient respondents indicated a feeling of aversion being around others watching them exercise, and inferred an attitude that failure is shameful during therapy sessions.…”