Weight Management among College Females during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Objective: Millions of college students are considered overweight. COVID-19 may have exacerbated this problem, therefore there is a need to examine the experiences of college students trying to manage their weight during the pandemic.

Participants: Overweight college females.

Methods: Semi-open interview were conducted after six doses of Motivational Interviewing (MI) or electronic education (control). Interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilized to analyze the experiences.

Results: Four themes emerged related to overarching struggles of COVID-19’s impact: Loss of gym access, mental struggles, boredom/stress eating, and loss of structure/living conditions. Four themes were also identified related to the intervention received i.e., MI was more remarkable, MI more notable during the shutdown, subjects receiving MI enjoyed the autonomy focus, and subjects receiving MI felt comfortable to share information.

Conclusion: Responses indicate numerous struggles related to COVID-19. These same responses point to a more positive perception of MI compared to the control group.