Adolescents’ Perspectives on the Drivers of Obesity Using a Group Model Building Approach: A South African Perspective

Gaironeesa Hendricks, Natalie Savona, Anaely Aguiar, Olufunke Alaba, Sharmilah Booley, Sonia Malczyk, Emmanuel Nwosu, Cecile Knai, Harry Rutter, Knut-Inge Klepp and Janetta Harbron
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Gaironeesa Hendricks: Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle & Sport, Division of Physio-Logical Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Natalie Savona: Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
Anaely Aguiar: System Dynamics Group, Department of Geography, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway
Olufunke Alaba: Health Economics Division, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Sharmilah Booley: Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle & Sport, Division of Physio-Logical Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Sonia Malczyk: Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle & Sport, Division of Physio-Logical Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Emmanuel Nwosu: Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle & Sport, Division of Physio-Logical Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
Cecile Knai: Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
Harry Rutter: Department of Social and Policy Sciences, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7PJ, UK
Knut-Inge Klepp: Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
Janetta Harbron: Research Centre for Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle & Sport, Division of Physio-Logical Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: Overweight and obesity increase the risk of a range of poor physiological and psychosocial health outcomes. Previous work with well-defined cohorts has explored the determinants of obesity and employed various methods and measures; however, less is known on the broader societal drivers, beyond individual-level influences, using a systems framework with adolescents. The aim of this study was to explore the drivers of obesity from adolescents’ perspectives using a systems approach through group model building in four South African schools. Group model building was used to generate 4 causal loop diagrams with 62 adolescents aged 16–18 years. These maps were merged into one final map, and the main themes were identified: (i) physical activity and social media use; (ii) physical activity, health-related morbidity, and socio-economic status; (iii) accessibility of unhealthy food and energy intake/body weight; (iv) psychological distress, body weight, and weight-related bullying; and (v) parental involvement and unhealthy food intake. Our study identified meaningful policy-relevant insights into the drivers of adolescent obesity, as described by the young people themselves in a South African context. This approach, both the process of construction and the final visualization, provides a basis for taking a novel approach to prevention and intervention recommendations for adolescent obesity.

Keywords: obesity; group model building; adolescents; qualitative; system mapping (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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