Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
The term 'obese' describes a person who's very overweight, with a lot of body fat. Researchers believe that the complexity of obesity is one of the reasons it has been difficult to treat. To address the complex nature of obesity there have been suggestions for multicomponent and multidisciplinary approaches to obesity management. However, there has not been clear agreement on what components and disciplines to include in a multicomponent multidisciplinary approach. Furthermore, many approaches are often developed by researchers, and not by the practitioners treating obesity, or other people associated with obesity management including the actual patients. Subsequently, the aim of this study is to ask a range of people, including researchers, policy makers, educators and practitioners in obesity management and their patients, what they believe should be included in a multicomponent, multidisciplinary approach to obesity management.
Who can participate?
A dietitian, two obese patients, a general practitioner, a counselling psychologist, a social worker, a research psychologist, a naturopath, an endocrinologist, a health epidemiologist and behavioral biologist, a team leader of a community-based health promotion team, two community health nurses, an exercise scientist, and a medical educationalist
What does the study involve?
Information was collected from a series of long, in-depth interviews with the participants, and by observing practitioners working in obesity and their adult patients in a wide variety of settings. This information was then collated along with information from journal articles and books into a software program to sort and group the information.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants may benefit from having a platform to explore their concerns and understanding of the management of overweight and obesity and factors contributing to it and how they could manage it. There are no risks beyond normal day-to-day living associated with their participation in this study. However, it is acknowledged that some people could be sensitive about their weight and their inability to lose it and may become upset while discussing their weight-related issues. Similarly, some practitioners may experience discomfort when discussing instances when they have not met the expectations of their clients.
Where is the study run from?
Queensland University of Technology (Australia)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2010 to November 2013
Who is funding the study?
Queensland University of Technology (Australia)
Who is the main contact?
1. Dr Anita Cochrane
2. Prof. Neil King
Trial website
Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Dr Anita Cochrane
ORCID ID
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7556-8915
Contact details
PO Box 3180
Norman Park
4170
Australia
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
1000000514
Study information
Scientific title
Can the recommendations of stakeholders involved in obesity management be used to operationalise a multicomponent multidisciplinary approach to obesity management in adults that addresses the limitations of linear cause and effect approaches for a condition that is regarded as complex and multisystem?
Acronym
Study hypothesis
The development of effective and sustainable nonsurgical treatment strategies for obesity has progressed slowly. There have been consistent recommendations for multicomponent and multidisciplinary (MCMD) approaches to address the complexity of obesity. However, there is no clear agreement on the components or disciplines to be considered within MCMD approaches or how they can be best applied in practice.
Study aim: to explore MCMD approaches through an examination of knowledge, skills, beliefs, and recommendations of stakeholders involved in obesity management.
Ethics approval
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Human Ethics Research Committee, 22/07/2010, ref: 1000000514
Study design
Qualitative action research study
Primary study design
Observational
Secondary study design
Qualitative action research study
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Treatment
Patient information sheet
Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet
Condition
Obesity
Intervention
1. Convergent interviewing was the main source of data. To achieve a representative sample with maximum diversity to interview, a stakeholder analysis process was conducted to identify the stakeholders to interview. The convergent interviewing technique consists of a series of long, in-depth interviews that gather unstructured content, while using a structured process for the interviews and for data analysis.
2. Observation procedures involved recording (written and audio), analyzing, and interpreting people’s actions and interactions in a wide variety of settings. Observational settings included multidisciplinary network meetings that the primary researcher either facilitated or participated in; talks she gave on obesity, including questions and comments from the participants; multidisciplinary team meetings and obesity talks she attended as an observer; obesity training events and conferences; and conversations she had with colleagues, including her doctoral supervisors, and patients.
3. Reference to the literature progressed as an ongoing dialectic, between the data and the literature, throughout the study. This dialectic was used to clarify, augment, challenge, and inform the data and the direction of the approach in development.
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
The components and disciplines that the collective data indicated could be involved in a multicomponent, multidisciplinary approach to obesity management
Secondary outcome measures
The metacomponents evident in the data, and the sub-components of the main components identified
Overall trial start date
07/01/2010
Overall trial end date
21/11/2013
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
1. Stakeholders including researchers, policy makers and practitioners in the field of obesity management, as well as overweight and obese individuals pursuing weight loss
2. Aged over 18
Participant type
Mixed
Age group
Adult
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
14 stakeholders for the convergent interviews
Participant exclusion criteria
1. Individuals under 18
2. Stakeholders who were not working in, or experienced in, the field of obesity management
3. Patients who were not overweight or obese
Recruitment start date
10/03/2011
Recruitment end date
05/09/2013
Locations
Countries of recruitment
Australia
Trial participating centre
Queensland University of Technology
4059
Australia
Sponsor information
Organisation
Queensland University of Technology
Sponsor details
GPO Box 2434
Brisbane
4001
Australia
Sponsor type
University/education
Website
Funders
Funder type
University/education
Funder name
Queensland University of Technology
Alternative name(s)
QUT
Funding Body Type
private sector organisation
Funding Body Subtype
academic
Location
Australia
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
IPD sharing plan
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are/will be available upon request from Dr Anita Cochrane.
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Available on request
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list