The Influence of Social Relationships on Men's Weight

Objective: To explore how men's social relationships influence their dietary, physical activity, and weight loss intentions and behaviors. Design: Qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Setting: One county in the southwest of England. Participants: Men (n = 19) aged 18–60 years with a body mass index ≥24 kg/m² who were otherwise healthy. Phenomenon of Interest: Men's perceptions of dieting, physical activity and weight loss, and how social relationships influence these behaviors. Analysis: Interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded line by line using NVivo software. Themes and subthemes were inductively generated using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were derived: (1) how experiences shape beliefs, (2) being a proper bloke, (3) adapting to family life, and (4) support from outside the home. Men discussed how partners were a greater influence on diet than physical activity. Attitudes toward diet and physical activity were influenced by life events such as becoming a father. It was framed as acceptable for men to talk to their friends about exercise and food intake in general, but they emphasized that this was not for “support.” Conclusions and Implications: Family members were key influences on men's behaviors. Future qualitative research could include interviews with men's families. Findings may inform family weight loss interventions.