Barriers, motivations, and understanding: A qualitative study on the acceptability of an academic weight management program

by Yongjia Deng, Kristen Moore, Patricia Galanti, Laura Davisson, Nasser Alrayyes, Cristhian Perez, Patricia Dekeseredy, Treah Haggerty Introduction Obesity is a critical health issue, and West Virginia is a state with an exceptionally high obesity rate. There are evidence-based medical guidelines for treating obesity utilized by medical weight management programs.

The primary purpose of this study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the acceptability of an academic medical weight management program that utilizes guidelines-based treatment for obesity. Methods This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach.

Semi-structured interviews were completed with 20 participants enrolled in an academic medical weight management program. Interviews were completed and transcribed.

Themes were identified through qualitative content analysis. Results Twenty participants enrolled in a medical weight management clinic participated.

Five main themes emerged during analysis of the interview content: 1) satisfaction with clinical and support staff, 2) desire for additional touchpoints with clinical staff, 3) perception of non-judgmental support, 4) perception of support by the clinic following policy changes affecting treatment coverage, and 5) participation due to intrinsic motivation.