SMI and Obesity: Ethnography Project V1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Inpatient Ward, Obesity and Serious Mental Illness (SMI): An ethnographic study
IRAS ID
361853
Contact name
Maria Bryant
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Tees, Esk and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
It is known that people with serious mental illness are more likely to be affected by obesity than people without mental illness. In a recent review of the current evidence, it was found that most of the research currently available focussed on the effect that medication has on weight gain, and very little research looked at any other factors such as lifestyle, nutrition choice or the impact of being in hospital. It was also found that the methods used to do research were mostly numbers based, and there were fewer qualitative papers. This study will aim to use one of these qualitative methods, namely a method called ethnography, to investigate how a mental health inpatient unit may affect weight change for people suffering from severe mental illness. As part of this research, focus groups with both staff and patients will be run, asking their thoughts, opinions and insights on if and how the hospital environment can impact weight change for people with mental illness.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/YH/0206
Date of REC Opinion
12 Nov 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion