South African consumers' knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of intermittent fasting and their perceptions on factors that influence weight loss : a qualitative study

Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Sepedi

Obesity is a global epidemic and a risk factor for non-communicable diseases. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), South Africa’s obesity ranking was 24th highest in the world in 2015 with South African females ranking 23rd compared to South African males who ranked 110th. These statistics alone are reason for concern. Research has suggested that intermittent fasting together with a reduction in caloric intake may assist with weight loss and reduce risks associated with non-communicable diseases. Because obesity rates and associated health problems among South Africans continue to rise, there is a need to conduct advocacy, communication and social mobilization (ACSM) activities to address the problem. To assist in this regard the WHO suggested obtaining data of countries’ health issues, particularly those requiring ACSM, by assessing knowledge (K), attitude (A) and perception (P), as part of the KAP model. The researcher made use of an exploratory qualitative research design to determine South African consumer’s knowledge, attitude and perception regarding intermittent fasting as a weight-loss regimen as well as factors contributing towards or hindering the success of intermittent fasting. Non-probability sampling was employed to recruit a total of 20 participants, both male and female. Primary data collection took place using electronic, semi-structured interviews. The researcher used Microsoft Teams to conduct the interviews and the resulting data were coded manually and reflexive thematic analysis was used to explain the data. Regarding subjective knowledge, study participants indicated that IF requires specified periods of fasting and periods of eating and that various benefits when practicing IF included improved energy levels, reduced blood glucose levels, reduced blood pressure, improved cholesterol health and alleviation of symptoms associated with arthritis, eczema and autoimmune diseases. Most participants had a relatively poor objective knowledge regarding IF, illustrated by their lack of knowledge on the effect of IF on lipid metabolism (n=17) and hormone activation (n=15), respectively. However, most (n=14) participants believed that an increase in knowledge would improve their chances of weight loss with IF. The majority (n=17) of the participants had a positive attitude towards IF and admitted that their primary goal with IF was weight loss (n=15) and they mentioned the health benefits of IF. The attitude of most participants (n=13) was not negatively affected by failure to lose weight with IF. Most participants did not feel pressurised by society to lose weight but over a half (n=12) of the participants admitted that they had a poor self-image due to excess body weight, while the remainder (n=8) of the participants felt they had a good self-image, though they could benefit from losing some weight. Most participants felt that IF was an easy, flexible program to follow with definite benefits for weight loss and overall health. The majority of the participants believed that they would experience increased happiness (n=15) and improved quality of life (n=11) if they were successful in losing weight with IF. Most (n=14) participants were mindful of what they consumed during their eating window, while a half (n=10) also indicated that they became more interested in the nutritional contents of food since starting IF. Most participants (n=14) exercised in conjunction with the IF program and felt it aided their weight loss. Some (n=5) participants received social support from their friends and family, although others (n=6) felt that their IF weight loss journey was a personal matter. Some participants (n=8) experienced positive feelings when they successfully lost weight with IF but most (n=7) of these admitted that they felt motivated by the health benefits associated with IF or by feeling better in general (n=4). A participant mentioned that she was consuming fewer calories overall during IF, while some participants mentioned that they steered clear of carbohydrates during their eating window to assist weight loss. A number of the participants (n=9) actively practiced the 16:8 IF protocol. Overall, this study provided data as to the knowledge, attitude and perception of South African consumers with regard to intermittent fasting as a weight loss regimen. Most study participants were aware of the principles of intermittent fasting and practiced the 16:8 regimen. Few participants had knowledge of the effects of intermittent fasting on hormones or lipid metabolism. Most participants had a positive attitude towards intermittent fasting as they found it easy to adopt, they had lost weight using the regimen, and they felt better. As participants felt that they could return to intermittent fasting and it was a logistically easy regimen, they would recommend intermittent fasting to others. In addition, most study participants felt that they would be happier from successfully losing weight and experiencing an associated quality of life from improving their nutrient intake. The study results can effectively be used by healthcare professionals to educate patients and themselves on the principles and benefits of IF to initiate behaviour change conducive to weight loss.

Vetsug is 'n wêreldwye epidemie en 'n risikofaktor vir nie-oordraagbare siektes. Volgens die Wêreldgesondheidsorganisasie (WGO) was Suid-Afrika se vetsug-ranglys in 2015 die 24ste hoogste ter wêreld met Suid-Afrikaanse vroue wat 23ste was vergeleke met Suid-Afrikaanse mans wat 110ste was. Hierdie statistieke alleen is rede tot kommer. Navorsing het voorgestel dat intermitterende vas tesame met 'n vermindering in kalorie-inname kan help met gewigsverlies en risiko's wat verband hou met nie-oordraagbare siektes verminder. Omdat vetsugsyfers en gepaardgaande gesondheidsprobleme onder Suid-Afrikaners aanhou styg, is daar 'n behoefte om voorspraak-, kommunikasie- en sosiale mobiliseringsaktiwiteite (ACSM) te doen om die probleem aan te spreek. Om in hierdie verband te help, het die WGO voorgestel dat data van lande se gesondheidskwessies, veral dié wat ACSM vereis, verkry word deur kennis (K), houding (A) en persepsie (P), as deel van die KAP-model te assesseer. Die navorser het van 'n verkennende kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp gebruik gemaak om Suid-Afrikaanse verbruiker se kennis, houding en persepsie te bepaal rakende intermitterende vas as 'n gewigsverlies-regime, asook faktore wat bydra tot of die sukses van intermitterende vas belemmer. Nie-waarskynlikheidsteekproefneming is gebruik om 'n totaal van 20 deelnemers, beide manlik en vroulik, te werf. Primêre data-insameling het plaasgevind deur gebruik te maak van elektroniese, semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude. Die navorser het Microsoft Teams gebruik om die onderhoude te voer en die resulterende kwalitatiewe data is met die hand gekodeer en refleksiewe tematiese analise is gebruik om die data te verduidelik. Wat subjektiewe kennis betref, het studiedeelnemers aangedui dat IF spesifieke periodes van vas en eetperiodes vereis en dat verskeie voordele by die beoefening van IF verbeterde energievlakke, verlaagde bloedglukosevlakke, verlaagde bloeddruk, verbeterde cholesterolgesondheid en verligting van simptome wat met artritis geassosieer word, insluit. ekseem en outo-immuun siektes. Die meeste deelnemers het 'n relatief swak objektiewe kennis ten opsigte van IF gehad, geïllustreer deur hul gebrek aan kennis oor die effek van IF op lipiedmetabolisme (n=17) en hormoonaktivering (n=15), onderskeidelik. Die meeste (n=14) deelnemers het egter geglo dat 'n toename in kennis hul kanse op gewigsverlies met IF sou verbeter. Die meerderheid (n=17) van die deelnemers het 'n positiewe houding teenoor IF gehad en erken dat hul primêre doelwit met IF gewigsverlies was (n=15) en hulle het die gesondheidsvoordele van IF genoem. Die houding van die meeste deelnemers (n=13) is nie negatief beïnvloed deur versuim om gewig te verloor met IF nie. Die meeste deelnemers het nie deur die samelewing onder druk gevoel om gewig te verloor nie, maar meer as 'n helfte (n=12) van die deelnemers het erken dat hulle 'n swak selfbeeld het as gevolg van oortollige liggaamsgewig, terwyl die res (n=8) van die deelnemers gevoel het. hulle het 'n goeie selfbeeld gehad, hoewel hulle daarby kon baat om 'n bietjie gewig te verloor. Die meeste deelnemers het gevoel dat IF 'n maklike, buigsame program is om te volg met besliste voordele vir gewigsverlies en algemene gesondheid. Die meerderheid van die deelnemers het geglo dat hulle verhoogde geluk (n=15) en verbeterde lewenskwaliteit (n=11) sou ervaar as hulle suksesvol sou wees om gewig te verloor met IF. Die meeste (n=14) deelnemers was bedag op wat hulle tydens hul eetvenster verbruik het, terwyl 'n halwe (n=10) deelnemers ook aangedui het dat hulle meer geïnteresseerd geraak het in die voedingsinhoud van voedsel sedert hulle met IF begin het. Die meeste deelnemers (n=14) het saam met die IF-program geoefen en gevoel dat dit hul gewigsverlies aangehelp het. Sommige (n=5) deelnemers het sosiale ondersteuning van hul vriende en familie ontvang, hoewel ander (n=6) gevoel het dat hul IF gewigsverliesreis 'n persoonlike saak was. Sommige deelnemers (n=8) het positiewe gevoelens ervaar toe hulle suksesvol gewig verloor het met IF, maar die meeste (n=7) hiervan het erken dat hulle gemotiveer gevoel het deur die gesondheidsvoordele verbonde aan IF of deur beter te voel in die algemeen (n=4). 'n Deelnemer het genoem dat sy in die algemeen minder kalorieë tydens IF verbruik het, terwyl sommige deelnemers genoem het dat hulle tydens hul eetvenster wegbly van koolhidrate om gewig te verloor. 'n Aantal van die deelnemers (n=9) het die 16:8 IF-protokol aktief beoefen. Oor die algemeen het hierdie studie data verskaf oor die kennis, houding en persepsie van Suid-Afrikaanse verbruikers met betrekking tot intermitterende vas as 'n gewigsverliesregime. Die meeste studiedeelnemers was bewus van die beginsels van intermitterende vas en het die 16:8-regime toegepas. Min deelnemers het kennis gehad van die uitwerking van intermitterende vas op hormone of lipiedmetabolisme. Die meeste deelnemers het 'n positiewe houding teenoor intermitterende vas gehad, aangesien hulle dit maklik gevind het om aan te neem, hulle het gewig verloor deur die regimen te gebruik, en hulle het beter gevoel. Aangesien deelnemers gevoel het dat hulle na intermitterende vas kan terugkeer en dit 'n logisties maklike regime was, sou hulle intermitterende vas aan ander aanbeveel. Daarbenewens het die meeste studiedeelnemers gevoel dat hulle gelukkiger sou wees om suksesvol gewig en gewig te verloor en 'n gepaardgaande lewenskwaliteit te ervaar deur hul voedingstofinname te verbeter. Daarbenewens kan die studieresultate effektief deur gesondheidswerkers gebruik word om pasiënte en hulself op te voed oor die beginsels en voordele van IF om gedragsverandering te inisieer wat bevorderlik is vir gewigsverlies.

Go nona kudu ke leuba la lefase ka bophara le selo seo se bakago kotsi bakeng sa malwetsi ao a sa fetelago. Go ya ka Mokgatlo wa Maphelo wa Lefase (WHO), maemo a go nona kudu a Afrika Borwa a bile maemong a bo 24 godimo lefaseng ka 2015 ka basadi ba Afrika Borwa ba maemong a bo 23 ge ba bapetswa le banna ba Afrika Borwa bao ba bego ba le maemong a bo 110. Dipalo-palo tse di nnosi ke lebaka la go tshwenyega. Dinyakisiso di sisinya gore go ikona dijo ka dinako tse dingwe gotee le go fokotsa go ja di- kilojoule go ka thusa go fokotsa boima bja mmele le go fokotsa dikotsi tseo di sepedisanago le malwetsi ao a sa fetelago. Ka lebaka la gore ditekanyo tsa go nona kudu le mathata a maphelo ao a sepedisanago le ona gare ga maAfrika Borwa a tswela pele go hlatloga, go na le tlhokego ya go dira mediro ya bobueletsi, kgokagano le go kgoboketsa leago (ACSM) go rarolla bothata bjo. Go thusa ka se WHO e sisinya go hwetsa datha ya ditaba tsa maphelo tsa dinaga, kudukudu tseo di nyakago ACSM, ka go sekaseka tsebo (K), maikutlo (A) le temogo (P), bjalo ka karolo ya mohlala wa KAP. Monyakisisi o somisitse tlhamo ya nyakisiso ya boleng ya go nyakisisa go laetsa tsebo, maikutlo le temogo ya moreki wa Afrika Borwa mabapi le go ikona dijo ka go kgaotsa bjalo ka mokgwa wa go fokotsa boima bja mmele gammogo le mabaka ao a tsenyago letsogo go goba a sitisago katlego ya go ikona dijo ka go kgaotsa. Go ile gwa thwala go tsea mehlala yeo e sego ya kgonagalo go thwala palomoka ya batswasehlabelo ba 20, bobedi banna le basadi. Kgoboketso ya datha ya mathomo e diregile ka go somisa dipoledisano tsa elektroniki, tseo di sa rulaganywago ka botlalo. Monyakisisi o somisitse Dihlopha tsa Microsoft go dira dipoledisano gomme datha ya boleng yeo e tsweletsego e ile ya ngwalwa ka dikhoutu ka seatla gomme tshekatsheko ya morero ya go naganisisa e somisitswe go hlalosa datha. Mabapi le tsebo ya go itseela godimo, batswasehlabelo ba nyakisiso ba bontshitse gore IF e nyaka dinako tse di laeditswego tsa go ikona dijo le dinako tsa go ja le gore mehola ye e fapanego ge e itlwaetsa IF e be e akaretsa maemo a kaonefaditswego a maatla, go fokotsega ga maemo a glucose mading, go fokotsega ga kgatelelo ya madi, maphelo a kaonefaditswego a kholesterole le go fokotsa dika tseo di sepedisanago le ramatiki, . eczema le mafu a autoimmune. Bontsi bja batswasehlabelo ba be ba na le tsebo ye e fokolago ya maikemisetso mabapi le IF, yeo e bontshitswego ke go hloka tsebo ga bona ka ga mafelelo a IF go metabolism ya lipid (n = 17) le go tsenywa tirisong ga dihomoune (n = 15), ka go latelelana. Le ge go le bjalo, bontsi (n=14) batswasehlabelo ba be ba dumela gore koketsego ya tsebo e tla kaonafatsa dibaka tsa bona tsa go fokotsa boima bja mmele ka IF. Bontsi (n = 17) bja batswasehlabelo ba be ba na le maikutlo a mabotse ka IF gomme ba dumetse gore pakane ya bona ya mathomo ka IF e be e le go fokotsa boima bja mmele (n = 15) gomme ba boletse ka mehola ya maphelo ya IF. Boemo bja kgopolo bja bontsi bja batswasehlabelo (n = 13) ga se bja amega gampe ke go palelwa ke go fokotsa boima bja mmele ka IF. Bontsi bja batswasehlabelo ga se ba ikwa ba gateletswe ke setshaba go fokotsa boima bja mmele eupsa ka godimo ga seripa (n=12) sa batswasehlabelo ba dumetse gore ba be ba na le seswantsho se se fokolago sa go ipona ka lebaka la boima bjo bo feteletsego bja mmele, mola ba bangwe ka moka (n=8) ba batswasehlabelo ba ile ba ikwa ba be ba ipona gabotse, gaesita le ge ba be ba ka holwa ke go fokotsa boima bja mmele bjo itsego. Bontsi bja batswasehlabelo ba ile ba ikwa gore IF e be e le lenaneo le bonolo, le le feto-fetogago leo le swanetsego go latelwa ka mehola e tiilego bakeng sa go fokotsa boima bja mmele le bophelo bjo bobotse ka kakaretso. Bontsi bja batswasehlabelo ba be ba dumela gore ba tla itemogela lethabo le le oketsegilego (n=15) le boleng bjo bo kaonafetsego bja bophelo (n=11) ge ba ka atlega go fokotsa boima bja mmele ka IF. Bontsi (n = 14) batswasehlabelo ba be ba ela hloko seo ba se jago nakong ya lefasetere la bona la go ja, mola batswasehlabelo ba seripa (n = 10) le bona ba laeditse gore ba thomile go kgahlegela kudu dikagare tsa phepo tsa dijo ga e sa le ba thoma IF. Bontsi bja batswasehlabelo (n = 14) ba ile ba itshidulla ka kopanelo le lenaneo la IF gomme ba ikwa le thusa go fokotsa ga bona boima bja mmele. Batseakarolo ba bangwe (n=5) ba amogetse thekgo ya leago go tswa go bagwera ba bona le ba lapa, le ge e le gore ba bangwe (n=6) ba ile ba ikwa gore leeto la bona la go fokotsa boima bja mmele bja IF e be e le taba ya motho ka nosi. Batseakarolo ba bangwe (n=8) ba ile ba itemogela maikutlo a mabotse ge ba fokotsa boima bja mmele ka katlego ka IF eupsa bontsi (n=7) bja ba ba dumetse gore ba ile ba ikwa ba hlohleletswa ke mehola ya maphelo yeo e amanago le IF goba ka go ikwa ba le kaone ka kakaretso (n=4). Motseakarolo o boletse gore o be a ja di- kilojoule tse sego kae ka kakaretso nakong ya IF, mola batswasehlabelo ba bangwe ba boletse gore ba be ba tshaba dikhapohaedreite nakong ya lefasetere la bona la go ja go thusa go fokotsa boima bja mmele. Palo ya batswasehlabelo (n = 9) e ile ya itlwaetsa ka mafolofolo protocol ya 16:8 IF. Ka kakaretso, nyakisiso ye e file datha mabapi le tsebo, maikutlo le temogo ya bareki ba Afrika Borwa mabapi le go ikona dijo ka go kgaotsa bjalo ka mokgwa wa go fokotsa boima bja mmele. Bontsi bja batsea-karolo thutong ba be ba tseba melao ya motheo ya go ikona dijo ka dinako tse dingwe gomme ba itlwaetsa mokgwa wa 16:8. Ke batsea-karolo ba sego kae bao ba bego ba e-na le tsebo ya ditla-morago tsa go ikona dijo ka dinako tse dingwe dihomoune goba metabolism ya lipid. Bontsi bja batswasehlabelo ba be ba na le maikutlo a mabotse mabapi le go ikona dijo ka go kgaotsa ka ge ba hweditse go le bonolo go e amogela, ba fokotsegile boima bja mmele ka go somisa mokgwa wo, gomme ba be ba ikwa ba le kaone. Bjalo ka ge batswasehlabelo ba be ba ikwa gore ba ka boela go ikona dijo ka dinako tse dingwe gomme e be e le mokgwa wo bonolo wa dithulaganyo, ba be ba tla kgothaletsa go ikona dijo ka dinako tse dingwe go ba bangwe. Go tlaleletsa, bontsi bja batswasehlabelo ba nyakisiso ba ile ba ikwa gore ba tla thaba kudu go tswa go go fokotsa boima bja mmele ka katlego, le boima bja mmele le go itemogela boleng bja bophelo bjo bo sepedisanago le bjona go tswa go kaonafatsa go ja ga bona phepo. Go tlaleletsa,Dipoelo tsa nyakisiso di ka somiswa ka mo go atlegilego ke ditsebi tsa tlhokomelo ya maphelo go ruta balwetsi le bona ka melawana le mehola ya IF go thoma phetogo ya boitshwaro yeo e loketsego go fokotsa boima bja mmele

M.A. (Consumer Science)

Life and Consumer Sciences