This Record is a digital tombstone. The data files associated with this record were destroyed/deleted on the 14 April 2026 in line with the approved retention schedule. 

The main aim of the research was to gain an understanding of people’s response to weight status terms such as ‘overweight’ and ‘obese’, and to investigate whether using different terminology to describe weight status affects motivation to lose weight. A qualitative study was planned using focus groups and individual interviews with 102 volunteers who had recently learned their body mass index (BMI) and body fat composition through participation in the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study: Health in the Community. With previous evidence indicating gender differences in response to weight status terms gender was a key focus in the analysis.