The experiences of overweight female adolescents after health promotion counseling.

The experiences of female overweight adolescents undergoing weight reduction are rarely reported. There is a paucity of studies using qualitative methodology to evaluate weight-reduction experiences. The aim of this study was to understand the main themes of the experiences of overweight female adolescents undergoing weight reduction after receiving school based health promotion counseling. Qualitative design was adopted and seven focus group discussions were conducted. On the basis of the qualitative method, the data were subjected to content analysis by means of the constant comparison method. A total of 30 female participants studying in a junior college of nursing were recruited in this study. All of them had been overweight or obese throughout the past four years. The findings revealed four themes of weight reduction experiences: living with changes; aspire vs. retreat; sense of alienation; support is a motivator. The outcomes of this study support the value of health promotion counseling conducted at school-based settings. It also provides references for health professionals promoting healthy ways of life.