applying grounded theory to weight management among women.pdfVIP

The Qualitative Report Volume 16 Number 3 May 2011 860-880 /ssss/QR/QR16-3/zunker.pdf Applying Grounded Theory to Weight Management among Women: Making a Commitment to Healthy Eating Christie Zunker and Nataliya Ivankova University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA In this study we developed a theory grounded in data from women who continued healthy eating behaviors after a weight management program. Participant recruitment was guided by theoretical sampling strategies for focus groups and individual interviews. Inclusion criteria were: African American or Caucasian women aged 30+ who lost 5% of their body weight in a weight management program year ago. Participants 5% below their baseline weight were maintainers (n = 9); those above were non-maintainers (n = 14). We asked open-ended questions regarding healthy eating behaviors. The systematic design is described in detail, including categories from open coding, connection during axial coding, and integration into a theory, labeled Commitment to Healthy Eating, during selective coding. Procedures for establishing credibility are also included. Key Words: Grounded Theory, African American, Women, Systematic Approach, and Weight Research suggests that a modest amount of weight loss can provide health benefits and reduce risk factors; unfortunately, many dietary and behavioral treatments have failed to demonstrate long-term weight maintenance (Ogden, Yanovski, Carroll, Flegal, 2007). Many women are unable to maintain their body weight loss through continued