Rethinking Obesity Prevention

Prof. Dr. Vasiliki Kolovou

doi:10.5771/9783748962755

Summary

Rethinking Obesity Prevention. A Critical Realism Lens on Public Health Interventions How can we truly know whether obesity prevention programmes work? This book tackles that urgent question through the lens of realistic evaluation, which is rooted in the powerful philosophy of critical realism. Through case studies from Scotland, Germany and England, it reveals how the interaction of context, mechanisms and outcomes determines the success—or failure—of public health interventions. With a clear conceptual framework and in-depth analysis, this study offers practical insights for public health professionals, policymakers and social scientists alike. A guide to the deeper dynamics of sustainable obesity prevention, it uncovers what really makes such interventions effective in the real world.

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Bibliographic data

Publication year: 2025
Publication date: 11.12.2025
ISBN-Print: 978-3-7560-3406-2
ISBN-Online: 978-3-7489-6275-5
Publisher: Nomos, Baden-Baden
Language: English
Pages: 243
Product type: Book Titles

1. Acknowledgements No access
2. Declarations No access
3. Abstract No access
4. Abbreviations No access
Chapter 1: Introduction No access Pages 21 - 26
1. Introduction to obesity No access
2. The public health dimension of obesity No access
3. 1. Social critiques on obesity No access
4. Responses to prevention of obesity No access
5. Analysis of the ‘Obesity System Influence Diagram’ and the rationale for its use for the selection of the case studies No access
6. 1. Critical realism No access
  2. Realist evaluation No access
  3. Review of the literature of realist evaluation applications No access
7. 1. Relationship between agency and structure in the obesity discourse No access
  2. The possibility of change No access
  3. Critiques on obesity focus through critical realism No access
1. The theoretical framework of the enquiry No access
2. 1. ‘Context’ in the context of interventions to prevent obesity No access
3. 1. Qualitative methods No access
  2. 1. Types of studies No access
    2. Types of participants No access
    3. Types of interventions No access
    4. Setting No access
    5. Duration of intervention No access
    6. 1. Search method No access
      2. Search strategy No access
      3. Management of results No access
  3. 1. 1. General elements of the interventions No access
      2. Sustainability of the interventions No access
      3. Number of thematic clusters of obesity No access
      4. Results: Final case study interventions No access
  4. Method of qualitative analysis No access
  5. The schedule of the interview topic guide No access
  6. The pilot project No access
  7. Ethical considerations No access
  8. Protocol for the pilot interviews and case study interviews No access
  9. 1. Healthy Weight Communities (HWC) No access
    2. Movement as Investment for Health (BIG) No access
    3. Walking for Health (WfH) No access
  10. 1. Data analysis process No access
4. Reflections on the research process No access
1. 1. General context No access
  2. Existing culture of partnership working No access
  3. Existing culture of public participation in community services No access
  4. Level of public health discussion No access
2. 1. Perceptions of the projects’ aims No access
3. 1. Working differently No access
  2. Clear organisational structure No access
  3. Listening to the community No access
  4. Determination to make a difference No access
  5. Brand of HWC and social marketing No access
  6. Terminology around obesity No access
  7. Change needs time No access
  8. Being flexible No access
4. 1. Partners with different mentalities No access
  2. Lack of continuity in partners’ participation No access
  3. Geographical boundaries of the project No access
5. Outcomes No access
6. Becoming sustainable No access
7. Summarising the operation of the HWC project No access
1. What is the BIG project? No access
2. Data collection No access
3. 1. Level of public health discussion No access
4. 1. Impact of the Project Director No access
  2. Social catalysts No access
  3. Working with the participatory approach No access
5. 1. Frequent change of personnel No access
  2. Changing the existing environment No access
  3. Balancing academic with applied public health No access
6. 1. Giving the project time No access
  2. Creating ‘win-win’ situations No access
  3. Taking advantage of political windows No access
  4. Being flexible No access
7. 1. Having gone through change No access
  2. Becoming sustainable No access
8. Summarising the operation of the BIG project No access
1. What is the Walking for Health project? No access
2. Data collection No access
3. Structure of WfH project No access
4. 1. Context in the WfH project No access
5. 1. Belief in the project No access
  2. Properties of walking as a form of physical activity No access
  3. Creating ‘win-win’ arrangements with communities No access
  4. Need for time No access
  5. WfH brand and marketing No access
  6. Being flexible No access
  7. Walk coordinators acting as ‘community champions’ No access
  8. Volunteer walk leaders No access
  9. Social element of walks No access
6. 1. Formation of ‘cliques’ No access
  2. Distance between national and regional teams No access
7. Outcomes No access
8. Sustainability No access
9. Overview of the operation of the WfH project No access
10. Update – situation of WfH six months after the interviews No access
1. Introduction No access
2. 1. Social Structure (Pre-existing environment/organisational model/creating win-win conditions/planning for sustainability) No access
  2. Human Agency (passion to make a difference/product champions/ influence of key people/ formation of cliques) No access
  3. Emergent outcomes (providing non-health-related motivations/being flexible/ need for enough time) No access
3. Conclusion No access
References No access Pages 213 - 228
Appendices No access Pages 229 - 242
Author Information No access Pages 243 - 243