Medical Research Council/ University of the Witwatersrand Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Samrc Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Department of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Glob Health Action. 2021 Jan 1;14(1):1968598. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2021.1968598.
Levels of obesity are rising in South Africa, notably among adolescent females. Excessive energy-dense diets and physical inactivity are among the factors contributing to this increase. Given that these factors are largely behavioural, understanding young people's views of obesity can contribute to more targeted behavioural interventions. Yet little is known of how rural South African adolescents view obesity.
The aim of this study was to explore rural South African adolescents' views of obesity, including their understanding of its causes, consequences, and solutions.
This qualitative study took place within the MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt) study area, in rural northeast South Africa. Three focus group discussions were held with male (n = 16) and female adolescents (n = 15), aged 14-19 years in 2018. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and the Social Cognitive Theory used to frame the findings.
Participants presented conflicting views of obesity, with both positive and negative opinions expressed. Causes of obesity were seen to be multifactorial, including genetics, diet, lack of physical activity, and HIV treatment. Adolescents proposed medication and hospitalisation as ways to address obesity. When discussing interventions to address obesity, adolescents expressed the need for more information, suggesting that providing information to both themselves and their family members as part of interventions would be important.
Rural South African adolescents have a complex perspective of obesity, likely driven in part by the current nutrition transition underway and do not inherently see individual behaviour as a driver or mitigator of obesity. Complex interventions including the involvement of other household members are needed to change adolescents' views on the role of the individual, and ultimately, change both individual and household behaviour to prevent obesity.
南非的肥胖水平正在上升，尤其是在少女中。导致这种增长的因素包括过多的高能量饮食和缺乏身体活动。鉴于这些因素主要是行为因素，了解年轻人对肥胖的看法可以促进更有针对性的行为干预。然而，对于南非农村青少年如何看待肥胖，我们知之甚少。
本研究旨在探讨南非农村青少年对肥胖的看法，包括他们对肥胖原因、后果和解决方案的理解。
这项定性研究是在 MRC/Wits 农村公共卫生和健康转型研究单位（Agincourt）研究区域内进行的，位于南非东北部农村地区。2018 年，我们与 14-19 岁的男性（n=16）和女性青少年（n=15）进行了三次焦点小组讨论。使用主题分析对数据进行分析，并使用社会认知理论来构建研究结果。
参与者对肥胖持矛盾看法，既表达了积极的观点，也表达了消极的观点。肥胖的原因被认为是多因素的，包括遗传、饮食、缺乏身体活动和 HIV 治疗。青少年提出了药物治疗和住院治疗作为解决肥胖问题的方法。在讨论解决肥胖问题的干预措施时，青少年表示需要更多的信息，这表明在干预措施中向他们自己和他们的家庭成员提供信息将是很重要的。
南非农村青少年对肥胖有着复杂的看法，这可能部分是由当前正在进行的营养转型所驱动的，他们并不认为个人行为是肥胖的驱动因素或缓解因素。需要采取复杂的干预措施，包括让其他家庭成员参与其中，以改变青少年对个人作用的看法，并最终改变个人和家庭的行为，以预防肥胖。
