Publication
Older and heavier: How obesity is experienced by older adults?
| dc.contributor.author | von Humboldt, Sofia | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ilyas, Namrah | |
| dc.contributor.author | Leal, Isabel | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-11-26T15:19:33Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-11-26T15:19:33Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description.abstract | 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. | pt_PT |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCT | pt_PT |
| dc.description.version | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion | pt_PT |
| dc.identifier.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 | pt_PT |
| dc.identifier.doi | 10.1080/03601277.2024.2408710 | pt_PT |
| dc.identifier.issn | 03601277 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/10024 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | pt_PT |
| dc.peerreviewed | yes | pt_PT |
| dc.publisher | Routledge | pt_PT |
| dc.relation | SFRH/BPD/116114/2016 | pt_PT |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | pt_PT |
| dc.title | Older and heavier: How obesity is experienced by older adults? | pt_PT |
| dc.type | journal article | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oaire.citation.conferencePlace | United Kingdom | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.endPage | 19 | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.startPage | 1 | pt_PT |
| oaire.citation.title | Educational Gerontology | pt_PT |
| person.familyName | von Humboldt | |
| person.familyName | Ilyas | |
| person.familyName | Leal | |
| person.givenName | Sofia | |
| person.givenName | Namrah | |
| person.givenName | Isabel | |
| person.identifier.ciencia-id | C616-1C7E-4A02 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0001-9664-6735 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-7067-7143 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0001-6714-9123 | |
| person.identifier.rid | J-3748-2014 | |
| rcaap.rights | restrictedAccess | pt_PT |
| rcaap.type | article | pt_PT |
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