Increasing physical activity of adolescents in Kuwait: An exploration of the conditions that foster and inhibit the process of change

Abstract

Despite the evidence that increasing physical activity is essential for the overweight/obese adolescent population, a minority engage in necessary levels of moderate to vigorous physical exercise. In this study a physical activity intervention was designed for 120 adolescents aged 14 to 15 years in an international school in Kuwait, where adult obesity is among the highest in the Arab peninsula. All of the participants completed solution-focused questionnaires. From these, a purposive sample of 15 students who were engaging in the intervention process and showing evidence of increased physical activity levels were selected for interview. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The main factors to emerge in relation to the process of change were target setting, the social factor, parental support and skill level. It is proposed that educational psychologists are well placed to develop evidence-based systemic interventions in supporting adolescents in finding ways to adopt a healthier lifestyle within an obesogenic environment.