title: "Now I Can Do Better": A Study of Obese Women's Experiences Following a Nonprescriptive Nutritional Intervention.
abstract: The present study analyzed obese women's experiences following a nonprescriptive nutritional intervention, implemented through a 1-year program based on the Health at Every Size(®) philosophy. We employed an action research method and conducted three focus groups during the intervention. We identified five interpretative axes across the focus groups, as follows: conflicts and perceptions; gaining motivation, perspective, and positioning; becoming autonomous eaters; acquiring tools; and the meetings between the nutritional therapist and participant. Our findings revealed varying levels of readiness among participants in adapting to the intervention and varying valuations of achievements related to eating and health, independent of body-weight changes. Participants reported benefiting from and expressed approval of the intervention. Participants reported positive behavioral and attitudinal changes to their diet and improvements to diet quality, diet structure, and consumption. Finally, participants seemed to show increased autonomy concerning diet and indicated increased confidence, comfort, flexibility, and positivity of attitude regarding eating.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ulian
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education and Sport, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gualano
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education and Sport, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiana B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Benatti
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Sciences, State University of Campinas, Limeira, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: de Campos-Ferraz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education, State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Odilon J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Roble
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education and Sport, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Modesto
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education and Sport, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karina A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Murakawa
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Torre
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Cc
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Tritto
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, National University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ramiro F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Unsain
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Santos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de M Sato
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Scagliusi
keywords: Health at Every Size; multidisciplinary intervention; nondieting intervention; obesity; qualitative inquiry