A Systematic Review of Phenomenological Research on Obese Adults

Abstract

Obesity is a worldwide problem which affects individuals regardless of age, culture or ethnicity. Obesity is associated with health risks, financial implications, and social consequences. There are numerous explanations for obesity, although even with these explanations, long-term treatment for obesity has not been highly effective. Focussing on the lived experiences of obese individuals may illuminate different understandings which could aid in explaining this. Phenomenology, as a branch of philosophy and employed in this dissertation is concerned with individuals’ lived experiences. The present study conducted a qualitative systematic literature review on phenomenological research on individuals’ experiences of obesity. Nine studies were analysed using a qualitative systematic literature review methodology. The data analysis revealed obese individuals’ experiences in three main themes: control, acceptance, and restriction. The three themes were understood to have an interrelationship with one another, and to be in a continuous dynamic interplay, which cannot be separated and understood in isolation, regarding the participants’ experiences.