Background: Research suggests that more intensive weight loss interventions are usually superior to less intense ones. However, many people appear to be capable of losing weight with limited or no professional contact. Self- directed weight loss programs guide individuals to manage their own weight and include low intensive intervention such as general lifestyle guidance or e-Health programs that are easily accessible, cost effective and can be used by wide range of overweight and obese individuals. Successfully controlling your weight without the social support, personalised feedbacks, reminders and motivation that are part of organised weight loss programs is likely to require special skills and strategies. However to date, little attention has been paid to those individuals who were successful to manage their weight on their own and promote their health.
Objective: To identify strategies and characteristic of individuals who successfully attempted self-directed weight loss.
Method: A qualitative study through a semi- structured interview to investigate strategies and characteristic of 20 individuals (age 18-50 years) who had successful experience of losing ≥5% of their body weight in last 12 months. The interview questions addressed weight loss strategies, motivation, barriers, social support, weight loss maintenance, previous weight loss experiences and lifestyle. The Interviews are audio-taped, transcribed and coded by two persons in analysing team. After visual review, thematic analysis is undertaken using specialised software.
Results and Conclusion:
We will identify a range of characteristics and weight control approaches that were mentioned most often by those successful at self directed weight loss. Results of this study will allow us to better plan and implement the effective low intensive weight loss intervention/s.