Obesity has been linked to a wide range of health problems. Evidence suggests that overweight and obese (OW/O) women avoid or delay seeking medical care and routine health screenings, a choice that may result in poorer overall health. The objective of this study is to explore how an OW/O woman’s self-identity and her experiences in past medical encounters may affect her health-seeking behaviors. Twenty-three women who self-identified as being overweight (currently or in the past) were recruited using a flyer placed in a women’s exercise facility and through the snowball method. Each agreed to an audio-taped, in-depth, semi-structured interview. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed. This study employs multiple methods of analysis and multiple genres of representation of the data, an approach recently termed “crystallization.” Analysis of an autoethnographic narrative served as a guide for the generation of the research questions, which focused on how OW/O women conceptualize their identities in relation to their bodies, how their attitudes about their bodies may have impacted choices about seeking healthcare and their perception of their experiences within medical encounters, and what OW/O women believe to be potentially effective strategies for clinicians to adopt in caring for overweight patients. Interviews were scrutinized to identify story types using Arthur Frank’s well-established framework for the analysis of narratives of sudden life-threatening illness. Two additional story types, Reorientation and Acceptance, are proposed as potentially useful in analyzing stories of chronic health conditions. Grounded theory analysis was used to identify the factors that OW/O women perceive to contribute to their weight struggles, as well as to determine clinician attitudes and practices that OW/O women regard as effective and ineffective. Two emergent themes—othering and control—were discerned in the data and are discussed in terms of both how OW/O women are impacted by their weight and how practitioners can work to provide more effective care. An explanatory model linking social bias, personal identity, and medical interactions is proposed. Finally, a performance script is presented as a means of synthesizing and disseminating research findings.

This study aimed to describe children’s experience of living with overweight or obesity, by using a literature-review. The study includes eleven articles, data is from children between ages 5-15 year. The result occurring were in the areas; Quality of life and self-esteem, Social company, Body concept and weight reduction and Psychological unhealth. BMI above what is recommended gives a negative influence on quality of live and self-esteem. The exposure of teasing is rising, which also dieting and weight–related concerns do. Depression symptoms occur in varying degree, but the correlation to BMI is not direct. Girls in ages up to 14 years seem to be most influenced by being overweight or obese. The language children are using related to their own body may act as a barrier to apply its health- consequences on themselves. Health- care professionals should treat those children in a way that reinforce their view of themselves, by doing so they can help them reaching better health. To improve treat and treatment of the children, there is a need of more qualitative investigation in the subject. / Syftet med studien var att genom en litteraturstudie beskriva hur det som barn är att leva med övervikt eller fetma. Studien bygger på elva artiklar där data är från barn i åldrarna 5 - 15 år. Resultatet som framkom var inom områdena; Livskvalitet och självkänsla, Socialt umgänge, Kroppsuppfattning och viktnedgång samt Psykisk ohälsa. Resultatet visar att BMI över gränsen för övervikt/fetma ger en negativ påverkan på livskvalitet och självkänsla, graden av påverkan ökar med stigande BMI. Även utsatthet för mobbning och förekomsten av bantning och viktbekymmer ökar med stigande BMI. Förekomsten av depressiva symtom finns i varierande grad, men verkar inte vara direkt korrelerat till vikt. Flickor upp till 14 års ålder påverkas i högst grad av sin vikt. Språket barn använder relaterat till sin egen övervikt/fetma kan fungera som en barriär för att se dess hälsokonsekvenser som en möjlig realitet hos dem själva. Hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal måste bemöta dessa barn på ett sätt som kan stärka deras självbild och på så vis förbättra hälsan. Förbättrat bemötande och behandlingsarbete kräver mer kvalitativ forskning kring hur barnen upplever sin situation.

<p>This study aimed to describe children’s experience of living with overweight or obesity, by using a literature-review. The study includes eleven articles, data is from children between ages 5-15 year. The result occurring were in the areas; <em>Quality of life and self-esteem, Social company, Body concept and weight reduction </em>and <em>Psychological unhealth</em>. BMI above what is recommended gives a negative influence on quality of live and self-esteem. The exposure of teasing is rising, which also dieting and weight–related concerns do. Depression symptoms occur in varying degree, but the correlation to BMI is not direct. Girls in ages up to 14 years seem to be most influenced by being overweight or obese. The language children are using related to their own body may act as a barrier to apply its health- consequences on themselves. Health- care professionals should treat those children in a way that reinforce their view of themselves, by doing so they can help them reaching better health. To improve treat and treatment of the children, there is a need of more qualitative investigation in the subject.</p> / <p>Syftet med studien var att genom en litteraturstudie beskriva hur det som barn är att leva med övervikt eller fetma. Studien bygger på elva artiklar där data är från barn i åldrarna 5 - 15 år. Resultatet som framkom var inom områdena; <em>Livskvalitet och självkänsla, Socialt umgänge, Kroppsuppfattning och viktnedgång </em>samt<em> Psykisk ohälsa</em>. Resultatet visar att BMI över gränsen för övervikt/fetma ger en negativ påverkan på livskvalitet och självkänsla, graden av påverkan ökar med stigande BMI. Även utsatthet för mobbning och förekomsten av bantning och viktbekymmer ökar med stigande BMI. Förekomsten av depressiva symtom finns i varierande grad, men verkar inte vara direkt korrelerat till vikt. Flickor upp till 14 års ålder påverkas i högst grad av sin vikt. Språket barn använder relaterat till sin egen övervikt/fetma kan fungera som en barriär för att se dess hälsokonsekvenser som en möjlig realitet hos dem själva. Hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal måste bemöta dessa barn på ett sätt som kan stärka deras självbild och på så vis förbättra hälsan. Förbättrat bemötande och behandlingsarbete kräver mer kvalitativ forskning kring hur barnen upplever sin situation.</p>

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In the general population, one in five couples experiences difficulty in conceiving a child. The role of obesity on women’s fecundity has become a focus of attention in recent years. Successful treatment of infertility through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is also compromised by the presence of obesity, which occurs in 30 % of women seeking treatment. A negative correlation exists between increased body mass index (BMI) and the number of collected oocytes and a lower birth rate after ART. Furthermore, a number of studies have established that weight loss improves natural conception rates in overweight women. Whether weight management can improve success rates in overweight / obese women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) has not been studied. The purpose of this project was to explore the role of short–term weight loss on potential pregnancy outcomes in overweight / obese women undergoing IVF programme. However, to establish this relationship, we proposed to carry out two studies to assess the following: (I) The feasibility of very low calorie diet (VLCD) during IVF treatment with respect to duration, level of restriction and tolerability of the diet during hormonal down regulation in women (Chapter 2). (II) How energy restriction may affect the quality of an early embryo in diet - induced obese mice with respect to various body weight and caloric intake (Chapter 3). In study (I), women preferred a shorter dietary intervention with greater energy restriction (456 kcal per day) to gradual energy restriction (1200 kcal / day for the first week, and afterward, 456 kcal / day) prior to oocyte transfer. Women were able to comply with the VLCD during IVF treatment and both dietary groups achieved a significant weight loss (mean 6.3 %). In study (II), by using obese mice, the effect of rapid weight loss (mean 12 %) was observed after 5 days of energy restriction. Ovulation rate was greater in the Obese group (HFD) (55.6%) and equal in both Control (CD) and Energy Restricted (HF / ER) (44.4 %) groups. The HF / ER group showed higher fertilisation rate (80 %) than HFD and CD (55% and 45.5%, correspondingly). The blastocyst stage was reached by half of the cultured embryos in both HF / ER and HFD groups and 33 % in the CD group. The quality of embryos that completed blastocyst formation did not differ between groups. However, postfertilisation development in females fed a high fat diet was slower compared to CD and HF / ER groups. In conclusion, this work illustrated a weight management prior conception and use of VLCD during IVF treatment in clinical study needs further investigation with regard to the dietary duration, level of energy restriction and how this combination will influence IVF treatment outcomes. Furthermore, as we were unable to determine the question of how the dietary intervention affects the quality of oocytes and the animal study illustrated a promising result, thus further studies are required. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1311579 / Thesis (M.Med.Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, 2008

In the general population, one in five couples experiences difficulty in conceiving a child. The role of obesity on women’s fecundity has become a focus of attention in recent years. Successful treatment of infertility through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is also compromised by the presence of obesity, which occurs in 30 % of women seeking treatment. A negative correlation exists between increased body mass index (BMI) and the number of collected oocytes and a lower birth rate after ART. Furthermore, a number of studies have established that weight loss improves natural conception rates in overweight women. Whether weight management can improve success rates in overweight / obese women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) has not been studied. The purpose of this project was to explore the role of short–term weight loss on potential pregnancy outcomes in overweight / obese women undergoing IVF programme. However, to establish this relationship, we proposed to carry out two studies to assess the following: (I) The feasibility of very low calorie diet (VLCD) during IVF treatment with respect to duration, level of restriction and tolerability of the diet during hormonal down regulation in women (Chapter 2). (II) How energy restriction may affect the quality of an early embryo in diet - induced obese mice with respect to various body weight and caloric intake (Chapter 3). In study (I), women preferred a shorter dietary intervention with greater energy restriction (456 kcal per day) to gradual energy restriction (1200 kcal / day for the first week, and afterward, 456 kcal / day) prior to oocyte transfer. Women were able to comply with the VLCD during IVF treatment and both dietary groups achieved a significant weight loss (mean 6.3 %). In study (II), by using obese mice, the effect of rapid weight loss (mean 12 %) was observed after 5 days of energy restriction. Ovulation rate was greater in the Obese group (HFD) (55.6%) and equal in both Control (CD) and Energy Restricted (HF / ER) (44.4 %) groups. The HF / ER group showed higher fertilisation rate (80 %) than HFD and CD (55% and 45.5%, correspondingly). The blastocyst stage was reached by half of the cultured embryos in both HF / ER and HFD groups and 33 % in the CD group. The quality of embryos that completed blastocyst formation did not differ between groups. However, postfertilisation development in females fed a high fat diet was slower compared to CD and HF / ER groups. In conclusion, this work illustrated a weight management prior conception and use of VLCD during IVF treatment in clinical study needs further investigation with regard to the dietary duration, level of energy restriction and how this combination will influence IVF treatment outcomes. Furthermore, as we were unable to determine the question of how the dietary intervention affects the quality of oocytes and the animal study illustrated a promising result, thus further studies are required. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1311579 / Thesis (M.Med.Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, 2008

In the general population, one in five couples experiences difficulty in conceiving a child. The role of obesity on women’s fecundity has become a focus of attention in recent years. Successful treatment of infertility through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is also compromised by the presence of obesity, which occurs in 30 % of women seeking treatment. A negative correlation exists between increased body mass index (BMI) and the number of collected oocytes and a lower birth rate after ART. Furthermore, a number of studies have established that weight loss improves natural conception rates in overweight women. Whether weight management can improve success rates in overweight / obese women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) has not been studied. The purpose of this project was to explore the role of short–term weight loss on potential pregnancy outcomes in overweight / obese women undergoing IVF programme. However, to establish this relationship, we proposed to carry out two studies to assess the following: (I) The feasibility of very low calorie diet (VLCD) during IVF treatment with respect to duration, level of restriction and tolerability of the diet during hormonal down regulation in women (Chapter 2). (II) How energy restriction may affect the quality of an early embryo in diet - induced obese mice with respect to various body weight and caloric intake (Chapter 3). In study (I), women preferred a shorter dietary intervention with greater energy restriction (456 kcal per day) to gradual energy restriction (1200 kcal / day for the first week, and afterward, 456 kcal / day) prior to oocyte transfer. Women were able to comply with the VLCD during IVF treatment and both dietary groups achieved a significant weight loss (mean 6.3 %). In study (II), by using obese mice, the effect of rapid weight loss (mean 12 %) was observed after 5 days of energy restriction. Ovulation rate was greater in the Obese group (HFD) (55.6%) and equal in both Control (CD) and Energy Restricted (HF / ER) (44.4 %) groups. The HF / ER group showed higher fertilisation rate (80 %) than HFD and CD (55% and 45.5%, correspondingly). The blastocyst stage was reached by half of the cultured embryos in both HF / ER and HFD groups and 33 % in the CD group. The quality of embryos that completed blastocyst formation did not differ between groups. However, postfertilisation development in females fed a high fat diet was slower compared to CD and HF / ER groups. In conclusion, this work illustrated a weight management prior conception and use of VLCD during IVF treatment in clinical study needs further investigation with regard to the dietary duration, level of energy restriction and how this combination will influence IVF treatment outcomes. Furthermore, as we were unable to determine the question of how the dietary intervention affects the quality of oocytes and the animal study illustrated a promising result, thus further studies are required. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1311579 / Thesis (M.Med.Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, 2008