“I’m Still on Track”: A Qualitative Exploration of Participant Experiences of a Weight Loss Maintenance Program

Abstract

Qualitative evidence of participants’ experiences of real-life weight loss maintenance programs is important for ongoing participant engagement and can inform program improvements. The purpose of this study was to understand how participants account for their engagement with a weight loss maintenance program and the role of the program in their weight management. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 17 participants of a weight loss maintenance program was conducted; common themes were identified using a thematic inductive approach. Many participant narratives incorporated recurrent descriptions of their program experiences as a weight management journey. Our analysis generated four themes: returning to real life as a threat, the personal responsibility imperative, the program supporting agency and the program supporting self-regulation. The program, which provides external support and strategies, overlapped with the context of returning to real life and the personal responsibility imperative. Participant accounts of their journey at this intersection include the program supporting both agency and self-regulation which influences ongoing weight management. The interplay between themes identified and the maintenance program services allows compatibility between participants’ sense of personal responsibility and the program components to help participants to ‘stay on track’ or ‘get back on track’. In providing sufficient structure, opportunities to revisit successful strategies, and accountability, participants are empowered to overcome real-life threats and make positive health choices.

Early and slow weight loss responders’ perceptions of an adaptive diabetes prevention trial: A qualitative perspective

“…They felt having a buddy to offer and receive support could aid in maintaining self-regulatory behaviours. The role of professional and personal support from friends and family, specifically through face-to-face contact, is consistent with other qualitative findings examining participants’ perceptions of behavioural weight loss interventions (Gorin et al, 2020; Jessen-Winge et al, 2021; McGill et al, 2020; Wing and Jeffery, 1999). Specifically, perceptions of weight loss maintenance were examined between weight loss maintainers and regainers following ⩾10% weight loss through behavioural or commercial weight loss programmes (Reyes et al, 2012).…”

Patient insights into the experience of trying to achieve weight-loss and future expectations upon commencement of a primary care-led weight management intervention: A qualitative, baseline exploration

“…The goal was to gain insights into the experience of weight management and the resulting consequences encountered. Research into the experience of substantial, sustainable weight-loss maintenance has continuously found that individuals with overweight and obesity experienced the achievement of substantial, sustainable weight-loss maintenance to be challenging due to varying factors including everyday stress [ 29 – 35 ], emotional eating and boredom [ 33 , 34 , 36 , 37 ], planned life events [ 14 , 29 , 30 , 38 , 39 ] as well as unplanned life events [ 29 , 33 , 34 ], amongst others. Environmental influences have also frequently been cited as potentially derailing factors including discouraging peers [ 30 – 32 , 39 – 41 ], the obesogenic food environment [ 14 , 30 ] and the inability to stay motivated without support [ 36 , 42 ].…”

“…Motivators generally include improved health [ 14 , 30 , 33 – 35 , 37 , 39 ] and self-image [ 14 , 29 , 31 , 34 , 35 , 41 , 44 , 45 ]. Studies have also highlighted the desire to decrease the experience of weight stigma as a motivator for weight-loss [ 34 , 37 ].…”