Experience of individuals with a recent history of weight management attempts: a web-based cross-sectional study

Jamil Ahmed^*Aseel AlSalehAmer AlmarabhehLayan Abdulmunem AlAbbasEman Mohammed AlyaseenAysha AlmuqahwiMohamed Alqahtani

• Arabian Gulf University College of Medicine & Medical Sciences, Manama, Bahrain

Background Understanding perceived barriers and facilitators in this context is essential for designing effective interventions. We aimed to determine perceived barriers to weight loss and maintaining an optimum weight in Bahraini adults who have previously tried to lose weight. Methods A cross‑sectional study was conducted between March and July 2023 using an online questionnaire targeting Bahraini adults who had attempted weight loss in the past year. Individuals with prior surgical interventions for obesity were excluded. The questionnaire was pretested for consistency and administered in English and Arabic. Participants were recruited via social media, yielding 1,453 responses. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity among participants was 78.2%, with a higher crude prevalence observed among women (81.4%) compared to men (66.7%). However, after adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioral factors, females had lower odds of obesity (AOR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.37–0.67), indicating that the higher unadjusted prevalence among women was influenced by confounding factors such as age and occupation distribution. Increasing age was strongly associated with higher odds of obesity, particularly among individuals aged 36–45 years (AOR = 3.37, 95% CI: 1.91–5.95) and >45 years (AOR = 3.59, 95% CI: 1.75–7.37), compared with those aged <25 years. Marital status and employment also showed significant associations: married individuals (AOR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.30–2.46), unemployed participants (AOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.48–3.76), and retired participants (AOR = 7.67, 95% CI: 2.86–20.53) had higher odds of obesity. Weight-loss behaviors were also associated with obesity status: those who dieted (AOR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.81–3.54), exercised (AOR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.07–2.04), or used medications (AOR = 5.23, 95% CI: 2.93–9.35) to lose weight had higher odds of obesity. Participants who held neutral views about lack of exercise as a cause of weight gain showed lower odds of obesity (AOR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.39–0.90). Conclusions This study identifies that perceptions of obesity are driven by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, with women reporting greater challenges and reliance on conventional weight‑loss methods. Physical inactivity and unhealthy diet emerged as key barriers.