Self-efficacy of participants in a holistic intervention to reduce unemployment and obesity in France and England
Authors: Oliveira, N., Amenyah, S.D., Tang, W., Fenge, L. and Murphy, J.L.
Journal: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NUTRITION SOCIETY
Volume: 82
Issue: OCE3
eISSN: 1475-2719
ISSN: 0029-6651
DOI: 10.1017/S0029665123002902
Source: Web of Science (Lite)
Self-efficacy of participants in a holistic intervention to reduce unemployment and obesity in France and England
Authors: Oliveira, N., Amenyah, S.D., Tang, W., Fenge, L. and Murphy, J.L.
Conference: Scottish Section Conference 2023
Dates: 28-29 March 2023
Journal: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NUTRITION SOCIETY
Volume: 82
Issue: OCE3
eISSN: 1475-2719
ISSN: 0029-6651
DOI: 10.1017/S0029665123002902
Abstract:Individuals living with obesity face barriers to reintegrate into the labour market. They often experience psychological distress, low self-motivation, and reduced self-efficacy(1). The maintenance of such negative social-psychological and behavioural factors may exacerbate maladaptive eating behaviours, unhealthy lifestyles, and create a cyclical mechanism of socioeconomic deprivation and high body mass index(2). Self-efficacy, in particular, has been identified in research as a key and common underlying cause of obesity and unemployment as it influences lifestyle behaviour but also re-employment. Although there are interventions exploring the effects of self-efficacy improvement and weight management, limited intervention studies incorporate activities to address self-efficacy as a key determinant of unemployment and obesity. This highlights the need for interventions using a holistic approach to address common modifiable determinants of obesity and unemployment including self-efficacy. The aim of this study was to assess perceived self-efficacy in a sample of individuals living with obesity and/or unemployed.
Data were collected at baseline as part of The Adding to Social capital and individual Potential In disadvantaged Regions (ASPIRE) project which is a novel and innovative, programme developed to improve weight, wellbeing, self-efficacy, and employment in individuals who were living with obesity or unemployed in England and France(3). In addition to demographic variables, data on self-efficacy was collected using a validated self-administered digital version of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE). Differences between groups were analysed using independent t-tests and relationships between variables were explored using correlations (SPSS Version 26).
A total of 223 participants were included in this analysis. The mean age was 37.5 years (SD 17.8), 67.3% (n = 150) were female and 66.4% (n = 148) were participants from France. The mean self- efficacy was 28.6 (SD 6.5), on a scale ranging from 10 to 40 for all participants, with a higher score indicating a higher self-efficacy. Subgroup analysis indicated a statistically significant difference (p = 0.001) in self-efficacy scores between countries. Participants living in France (29.5 ± 6.3) had a higher self-efficacy score compared to participants in the UK (26.8 ± 6.5). There were no statistically significant differences observed for self-efficacy scores between male and female participants (p = 0.835). Additionally, no significant correlations were observed between age and self-efficacy (r = 0.097; p = 0.150).
The findings suggest country-specific differences in self-efficacy and highlight the need for interventions that are tailored to country-specific contexts. Additionally, obesity and unemployment are conditions influenced by a complex interplay of different factors including self-efficacy. Further research is needed to better characterise self-efficacy to inform the development of novel and holistic interventions to address obesity and unemployment.
Acknowledgments This project is funded by the European Development Fund. The authors wish to thank the participants and the Adding to Social capital and individual Potential In disadvantaged REgions (Project).
References
1 Kreuzfeld, S, Preuss, M, Weippert, M et al. (2013) Int Arch Occup Environ Health 86(1), 99–105.10.1007/s00420-012-0749-5CrossRefGoogle ScholarOpenURL query
2 Smed, S, Tetens, I, Boker, LT et al. (2018) Public Health Nutr 21, 580–92.10.1017/S136898001700266XCrossRefGoogle ScholarOpenURL query
3 Amenyah, SD, Waters, D, Tang, W et al. (2022) BMC Public Health 22, 1–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarOpenURL query
Source: Manual