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- Older and heavier: How obesity is experienced by older adults?Publication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Ilyas, Namrah; Leal, IsabelThe interplay between obesity and mental health in old age is complex and widely impacted by different biological, psychological, and social factors. The primary objectives of this qualitative research study are: a) To explore the influence of obesity on older adults’ well-being; b) to understand emotional experiences related to obesity in old age and; c) to explore how obesity influences the mental health of older adults. This study included 692 participants aged 65 to 84 years (M = 73.9; SD = 5.61) from three different nationalities (English, Spanish, and Portuguese). The study involved in-depth interviews conducted via telephone or online, with questions designed to elicit detailed narratives about participants’ experiences, and the data were analyzed using content analysis to identify key themes and patterns. This study identified four main themes regarding the influence of obesity on older adults’ well-being: (1) Body image dissatisfaction (66%); (2) Fat shaming (65%); (3) Increased isolation (57%); and (4) Loss of opportunities (46%). Three main themes for emotional experiences were frequently verbalized by the participants: (1) Shame (81%); (2) Guilt (78%); and (2) Worthlessness (76%). Finally, three main influences in mental health due to obesity were reported: (1) Self-esteem (88%); (2) Distress (78%); and (3) Depression (63%). These results highlighted that obesity negatively influences older adults’ well-being and emotional experiences and has serious mental healthrelated negative outcomes for older adults. Interventions like communitybased weight loss programs can be effective in controlling weight and improving the social interaction of obese older adults.
- Older adults, perceived ageism, civic participation and mental health: a qualitative studyPublication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Costa, Andrea; Ilyas, Namrah; Leal, I.Objectives: This study has three objectives: A) To investigate the relationship of ageism on older adults’ civic activities; B) To analyze the influence of ageism on mental health; and C) To explore the impact of civic participation on older adults’ mental health.Method: This qualitative study included 782 older people from three different nationalities (Portuguese, Brazilian, and English) ranging in age from 65 to 88. All the interviews went through the process of content analysis.Results: For the first objective, the findings encompass one high-level theme (Social and individual incompetence), which included social rejection (86%), reduced competence (84%), expectations of failure (83%), and not being able to contribute (77%). For the second objective, findings indicated two overarching categories: Perceived inability, including frustration and impotence (89%), incom-petence (77%) and irrelevance (71%); and Perceived distress, including anger (81%), feelings of anxiety (68%); and emotional bursts (63%). For the third objective, the following two high-level themes emerged: Ego-oriented resources, which comprised the development of a sense of purpose (81%), learning cognitive skills (71%), and (A3) practising sense of agency (67%); and Social-oriented resources, encompassing feeling socially integrated (80%); and expressing emotionally (54%). Findings indicated that the most verbalized themes for the three objectives were the same across the three nationalities.Conclusions: Ageism made it difficult for people to participate in civic life, which has been linked to better mental health. These findings emphasize the need to encourage inclusive civic involvement to improve older individuals’ mental health.