Obesity and associated chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes are highly prevalent in the United Arab Emirates. This qualitative study explored weight management barriers for Emirati women and strategies that can facilitate their weight management efforts. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 29 primary health care physicians, dietitians, and nurses in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi medical districts. A modified grounded theory was used to guide data collection and analysis. Interview notes were analyzed thematically and inductively using the NVivo software. The three main emerging themes were barriers, motivators, and suggestions. A number of personal, health care system-related, social and physical barriers to weight management were identified. Participants' suggestions to facilitate weight management for Emirati women included: health awareness programs, policies that support lifestyle changes, and provision of the necessary resources. They recommended peer support and culturally-acceptable programs that provide a holistic approach to obesity prevention and management. This study has useful applications in the development of community-based interventions for the prevention and management of overweight and obesity among women in the United Arab Emirates.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Annual Report 2004, Ministry of Health, Abu Dhabi, UAE, May 2006.
2.
MalikM.BakirA.SaabAbi B.RoglicG., and KingH., Glucose Tolerance and Associated Factors in the Multiethnic Population of the United Arab Emirates: Results of a National Survey, Diabetes Research Clinic and Practice, 69, pp. 188–195, 2005.
3.
MusaigerA. O.AdeebAbu N., and QazaqH., Nutritional Status of Emirati Women in Al Ain City, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain Medical Bulletin, 22, pp. 140–141, 2000.
4.
AmineE. K. and SamyM., Obesity among Female University Students in the United Arab Emirates, Journal of the Royal Society of Health, 116, pp. 91–96, 1996.
5.
MusaigerA. O. and RadwanH. M., Social and Dietary Factors Associated with Obesity in University Female Students in United Arab Emirates, Journal of the Royal Society of Health, 115, pp. 96–99, 1995.
6.
SaadiH.CarruthersS. G.NagelkerkeN.Al-MaskariF.AfandiB.ReedR., Prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications in a Population-Based Sample in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, Diabetes Research Clinical Practice, 78, pp. 369–377, 2007.
7.
AliH. I.MillerC. J.MohsenA.DunnE. V.AhmedJ., and Al-NuaimieS., Dietary Fat Reducing Behaviors of Arab women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Nutrition Research, 23, pp. 835–843, 2003.
8.
El MugamerI.AliZ. A.HossainM. M., and PughR. N., Diabetes, Obesity and Hypertension in Urban People of Beduin Origin in the United Arab Emirates, Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 98, pp. 407–415, 1995.
9.
CarterA. O.SaadiH. F.ReedR. L., and DunnE. V., Obesity, Lifestyle and Reproductive Health in a Representative Sample of Female Citizens of Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 22, pp. 75–83, 2004.
10.
BaynounaL. M.RevelA. D.NagelkerkeN. J.JaberT. M.OmarA. O.AhmedN. M., High Prevalence of the Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates: An Emerging Health Care Priority, Saudi Medical Journal, 29(8), pp. 179–185, 2008.
11.
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Executive Summary of the Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, Archives of Internal Medicine, 158, pp. 1855–1867, 1998.
12.
Diabetes Program Prevention Research Group, Reduction in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes with Lifestyle Intervention or Metformin, New England Journal of Medicine, 346, pp. 393–403, 2003.
13.
TuomilehtoJ.LindstromJ.ErikssonJ. C.ValleT. T.HamalainenH.Ilanne-ParikkaP., Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes by Changes in Lifestyle among Subjects with Impaired Glucose Tolerance, New England Journal of Medicine, 344, pp. 1343–1350, 2001.
14.
AjzenI. and FishbeinM., Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1980.
15.
D'Eramo-MelkusG., Obesity and Weight Loss, Lippincott's Primary Care Practice, 1(3), pp. 243–251, 1997.
16.
CutcliffeJ. R., Adapt or Adopt: Developing and Transgressing the Methodological Boundaries of Grounded Theory, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 51(4), pp. 421–428, 2004.
17.
CreswellJ. W., Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Traditions, Sage, Thousand Oaks, California, 1998.
18.
GlaserB. and StraussA., Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research, Aldine Publishing Company, Chicago, 1967.
19.
StraussA. and CorbinJ., Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques, Sage, Newbury Park, California, 1990.
20.
LoflandJ. and LoflandL., Analyzing Social Settings: A Guide to Qualitative Observation and Analysis (3rd Edition), Wadsworth, Belmont, California, 1995.
21.
PopeC. and MaysN., Qualitative Research: Reaching the Parts Other Methods Cannot Reach: An Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Health and Health Services Research, British Medical Journal, 311, pp. 42–45, 1995.
22.
PattonM., Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods (2nd Edition), Sage, Newbury Park, California, 1990.
23.
BrittenN.JonesR.MurphyE., and StacyR., Qualitative Research Methods in General Practice, Family Practice, 12, pp. 104–114, 1995.
24.
PopeC.ZieblandS., and MaysN., Qualitative Research in Health Care: Analyzing Qualitative Data, British Medical Journal, 320, pp. 114–116, 2000.
25.
MaysN. and PopeC., Qualitative Research in Health Care, Assessing Quality in Qualitative Research, British Medical Journal, 320, pp. 50–52, 2000.
26.
FadeS. A., Communicating and Judging the Quality of Qualitative Research, International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 10, pp. 7–19, 2003.
27.
WhittemoreR.ChaseS. K., and MandleC. L., Validity in Qualitative Research, Quality Health Research, 11, pp. 522–537, 2001.
28.
Overweight and Obesity Prevalence: World Health Organization, Fact Sheet No. 311, Obesity and Overweight, WHO, Geneva, 2006.
29.
BenerA. and TewfikI., Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Associated Psychological Problems in Qatari's Female Population, Obesity Reviews, 7, pp. 139–145, 2006.
30.
Al KandariY., Obesity and Socio-Cultural Variables, Kuwait Obesity Reviews, 7, pp. 147–154, 2006.
31.
MusaigerA. O. and MiladiS., Diet-Related Non-Communicable Diseases in the Arab Countries of the Gulf, FAO, Regional Office, Cairo, Egypt, 1996.
32.
MusaigerA. O.Al-AwadiA., and Al-MannaiM. A., Lifestyle and Social Factors Associated with Obesity among the Bahraini Adult Population, Ecology and Food Nutrition, 39, pp. 121–133, 2000.
33.
Al-MahroosF. and Al-RoomiK., Obesity among Adult Bahraini Population: Impact of Physical Activity and Educational Level, Annals of Saudi Medicine, 21, pp. 183–187, 2001.
34.
Al-ShammariS. A.KhojaT. A.Al-MaatouqM. A., High Prevalence of Clinical Obesity among Saudi Females: A Prospective, Cross-Sectional Study in the Riyadh Region, Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 97, pp. 183–188, 1994.
35.
PenderN. J.MurdaughC. L., and ParsonsM. A., Health Promotion in Nursing Practice (5th Edition), Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2006.
36.
McLeroyK. R.BibeauD.StecklerA., and GlanzK., An Ecological Perspective on Health Promotion Programs, Health Education Quarterly, 15, pp. 351–377, 1988.
37.
HumpelN.OwenN., and LeslieE., Environmental Factors Associated with Adults' Participation in Physical Activity: A Review, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 22, pp. 188–199, 2002.
38.
GreenL. and KreuterM., Health Promotion Planning: An Educational and Ecological Approach (4th Edition), McGraw-Hill, New York, 2005.
