“I didn't want to do it on my own”: A qualitative study of women's perceptions of facilitating and risk factors for weight control on a UK commercial community program

Overweight and obesity remain serious public health concerns. Outcomes from community based commercial weight management programmes vary, relapse is common drop out high. could be improved by better understanding experiences on these programmes. The aim of our study was to generate accounts people's experience a weight-management program identify what were perceived as facilitating, posed risks, programme effectiveness compliance. We conducted individual, semi-structured interviews with eighteen Caucasian women (mean age 45.4y) who members nation-wide UK commercial, fee-paying, programme. Interview data analysed via framework analysis. Participants' indicated that the helped triggering several intra- interpersonal processes catalysed change across psychological, physiological, dietary behavioural areas their life. Risks adherence spanned well-known risks such self-regulation fatigue difficulty recovering negative self-criticism, well new factors confusing nature change, relatively powerful impact everyday events, in getting balance right between personalised support vs. intrusion. complexity reported challenges linear, predictive pathways proposed many behaviour models management. To improve effectiveness, need go beyond support. It recommended community, educate people about physiological psychological tensions they will encounter, why lose at different rates, likelihood strategies manage these, including evidence-based for managing self-criticism.