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Older and heavier: How obesity is experienced by older adults?
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The 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.
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Keywords
Citation
von Humboldt, S., Ilyas, N., & Leal, I. (2024). Older and heavier: How obesity is experienced by older adults? Educational Gerontology, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2024.2408710
Publisher
Routledge