Purpose: To explore the perceived barriers and facilitators to healthy eating and physical activity in individuals opting for endoscopic bariatric procedures.
Methods: A total of 55 participants were recruited from a metropolitan bariatric clinic in Australia. Participants were interviewed at one of two stages of treatment: pre-procedure (n = 34) or 5-6 months post-procedure (n = 18). Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using content analysis.
Results: Five themes emerged from analysis of participant responses in both groups including lifestyle, psychological, physiological, social, and eating behaviors. Each theme consisted of subthemes which were either perceived barriers, or facilitators, to healthy eating and physical activity. Perceived barriers consisted of factors such as time constraints, low motivation, unhealthy habits and portion control, low priority of personal health, emotional difficulties, and pain/mobility issues. Facilitators included subthemes such as planning/organization, high motivation, seeing results, improved self-esteem, increased energy, improved mobility, and changing mindset about portions.
Conclusion: The results highlight the importance of delivering individualized and targeted treatment plans for individuals opting for bariatric procedures.
Level of evidence: Level III: Evidence obtained from cohort or case-control analytic studies.
Keywords: Bariatric procedures; Barriers; Eating behavior; Facilitators; Obesity; Physical activity.
© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.