Exploring motivation for bariatric surgery among Indigenous Maori women

Introduction: Bariatric surgery is the most effective intervention for alleviating obesity and its complications. Indigenous people worldwide experience higher rates of obesity and obesity disease burden. However, few studies exploring bariatric surgery among Indigenous peoples are published. In this study we aimed to explore the motivation of Maori women in coming forward for bariatric surgery. Methods: Maori women who had bariatric surgery prior to December 31, 2014, were invited to participate in semi-structured interpersonal interviews. Kaupapa Maori research, an Indigenous Maori research methodology, informed this study. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and subject to inductive thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-nine Maori women participated in semi-structured interpersonal interviews. The majority of women reported that the presence of obesity-related disease alongside the desire for a better quality of life served as the greatest sources of motivation for having bariatric surgery. Whanau (family) were key for participants achieving the preoperative milestones needed to be accepted for bariatric surgery. Interpersonal experiences of fat-shaming and yo-yo dieting also impacted their choice to have surgery. Conclusion: This study is one of the first to describe the motivations of Indigenous Maori women to have bariatric surgery. Our study conveys the importance of health, a desire to have a better quality of life and whanau in motivating Maori women to come forward for bariatric surgery. (C) 2019 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.