title: "The solution needs to be complex." Obese adults' attitudes about the effectiveness of individual and population based interventions for obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies of public perceptions of obesity interventions have been quantitative and based on general population surveys. This study aims to explore the opinions and attitudes of obese individuals towards population and individual interventions for obesity in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative methods using in-depth semi-structured telephone interviews with a community sample of obese adults (Body Mass Index >or=30). Theoretical, purposive and strategic recruitment techniques were used to ensure a broad sample of obese individuals with different types of experiences with their obesity. Participants were asked about their attitudes towards three population based interventions (regulation, media campaigns, and public health initiatives) and three individual interventions (tailored fitness programs, commercial dieting, and gastric banding surgery), and the effectiveness of these interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and forty two individuals (19-75 years) were interviewed. Participants strongly supported non-commercial interventions that were focused on encouraging individuals to make healthy lifestyle changes (regulation, physical activity programs, and public health initiatives). There was less support for interventions perceived to be invasive or high risk (gastric band surgery), stigmatising (media campaigns), or commercially motivated and promoting weight loss techniques (commercial diets and gastric banding surgery).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obese adults support non-commercial, non-stigmatising interventions which are designed to improve lifestyles, rather than promote weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Consumer Health Research Group (CHaRGe), Primary Care Research Unit, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Samantha.Thomas@monash.edu
authors.forename: Samantha L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hyde
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Castle
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Komesaroff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult