A Qualitative Study of the Experiences of Obesity, Body Image, and Mental Health of British-Born Afro-Caribbean Male Students at a West Yorkshire University in England

Obesity, body image, and depression are all biopsychosocial phenomena that are frequentlymisunderstood across cultures. Body dissatisfaction is a psychological aspect of obesity that has beenassociated with disordered eating, low self-esteem, and depression. Nevertheless, body imagedissatisfaction may affect non-obese individuals too. Those with a positive body image are more likely toparticipate in physical activity than those with a negative body image. Individuals who are satisfied withtheir body image are more likely to possess high self-esteem, confidence, and healthy eating habits.Obesity prevention among the black population is increasingly important. This study sought to examinethe perceptions and experiences of British-born Afro-Caribbean male students at a West YorkshireUniversity in England regarding obesity, body image, and mental health. Twelve participants took part in45-minute semi-structured interviews. The data was transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematicanalysis. Results revealed four major themes: "healthy lifestyle monitoring," "body image attitude,""experiences of attempting to maintain weight," and "reasons for weight change." Clinically obeseindividuals exhibited dissatisfaction with their body image. Depression was found to be strongly related todissatisfaction with one's body image. Obesity is stigmatized and associated with low self-esteem inmany societies in the United Kingdom, which impacts mental health. Future health promotion programsshould teach obese individuals who are dissatisfied with their body image to deal with emotions likeshame, guilt, and pride. Furthermore, individuals should adopt healthier eating habits and increase theirphysical activity, which is a broad strategy to reduce the incidence of obesity