Adolescents' journey toward and through weight management
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How do adolescents' make sense of their journey toward and through weight management:a grounded theory approach
IRAS ID
364796
Contact name
Kathy Burrows
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Teesside University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 30 days
Research summary
Childhood obesity remains a major global health concern, with long-term consequences for both physical and emotional wellbeing. In England, recent data show that obesity rates among adolescents remain high, with the North-East of England having the highest compared to all other UK regions. Adolescence is a critical development stage, where young people begin to take responsibility for managing their own health, experience increased autonomy and become more sensitive to peer influence. Understanding how adolescents experience and make sense of weight management is therefore vital to supporting meaningful and effective interventions.
Previous research has explored young people’s experiences of weight management services, but these studies are limited, often dated, and rarely consider the broader journey that leads adolescents to seek or be referred for support. In particular, little is known about how adolescents understand and navigate their experiences before, during, and after engaging with services in the North-East of England.
This study aims to address this gap by exploring how adolescents make sense of their journey toward and through weight management. Using a grounded theory approach, the research seeks to generate a theoretical understanding of the processes, experiences, and meanings that shape adolescents’ engagement with weight management support.
Semi-structured interviews lasting approximately 40 minutes will be conducted with young people aged 10–18 who are currently engaged in local weight management services. Data will be analysed using grounded theory methods to identify patterns and processes in how adolescents construct meaning around their weight, health, and service experiences.Findings will inform service development and contribute to theoretical and practical understanding of adolescent weight management, ensuring that support is more responsive to young people’s perspectives and lived realities.
REC name
Wales REC 6
REC reference
26/WA/0104
Date of REC Opinion
20 Apr 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion