Motivations and Perceived Barriers to Weight Loss in young adults of Karachi: A Cross-sectional Study

Motivations and Perceived Barriers to Weight Loss in young adults of Karachi: A Cross-sectional Study | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Motivations and Perceived Barriers to Weight Loss in young adults of Karachi: A Cross-sectional Study Syed Aman Ali, Muhammad Wasi Abbas, Ghana Raza, Syed Tafazzul Hyder Zaidi This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9605312/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background: Obesity represents a growing public health burden in urban Pakistan, yet the motivational and barrier profiles of young adults in this context remain largely uninvestigated. Understanding what drives weight loss efforts and what impedes them is essential for designing effective, culturally appropriate interventions. Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 209 adults aged 18–25 years in Karachi with a BMI ≥ 23 kg/m² (WHO Asian-specific threshold). Participants were recruited through social media and in-person channels. Weight loss motivations were assessed using an adapted 24-item validated scale comprising three subscales (health, social/external, appearance/self-esteem), and perceived barriers were measured using a modified 23-item validated questionnaire across three domains (physical/exercise, dietary/social, food environment). Non-parametric tests were used for group comparisons, and multiple linear regression identified predictors of total barrier scores. Results: Health-related motivations were most strongly endorsed (M = 3.34, SD = 0.49), followed by appearance/self-esteem (M = 2.88, SD = 0.75) and social/external motivations (M = 2.25, SD = 0.73). Food-environment barriers were rated as most prominent (M = 3.11, SD = 0.93), followed by dietary/social (M = 2.88, SD = 0.77) and physical/exercise barriers (M = 2.77, SD = 0.77). The most highly endorsed barriers were time constraints for physical activity, stress-related dietary difficulty, and differing family food patterns. Females reported significantly higher physical/exercise barrier scores than males (U = 6201.5, p = .046, r = .14). No significant differences were found across BMI categories, income brackets, or education levels. In regression analysis, appearance/self-esteem motivation (β = .24, p = .006) and social/external motivation (β = .17, p = .050) were independent positive predictors of perceived barrier magnitude, while health motivation was not (β = −.04, p = .522). Conclusion: Among young adults in urban Pakistan, health concerns dominate weight loss motivation while structural, social, and environmental factors constitute the most prominent barriers. Motivation type — rather than demographic or anthropometric characteristics — predicted perceived barrier severity, with externally and appearance-driven motivation associated with greater difficulty. These findings suggest that weight management programmes should be anchored in health-framed, autonomy-supportive messaging and should address time constraints, family food dynamics, and the limited availability of female-accessible physical activity spaces. Psychology Preventive Medicine obesity weight loss motivations barriers young adults Pakistan self-determination theory cross-sectional study Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9605312","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":633938583,"identity":"ba134cf5-c6f0-442a-8a97-0d139f2d8ead","order_by":0,"name":"Syed Aman Ali","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA+ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYJACCTDJzthwIKECyGBmbiBSCzNj44MPZ8AMorUwMBvObAOxCGiRn5F88MbPHLs8/mbmNmneebXR/O1ALT8qtuHUYnAjLdmyd1tyscRhRqCWbcdzZxxmbGDsOXMbtxaJHDMJ3m3MiQ0QLcdygYwGZsY23FrkZ+R/k/y7rT5xPljLnGO58wlpYbiRwwY0/HDihsOMzYYzG2pyNxDSYnDmmbG17LbjiRsPgwL52IFcIKPhID6/yLcnP7z5dlt14rzj7Q8OJNTU5c47f/jggx8VeBwmkIDCPQwmD+BWDwT8qNJ1eBWPglEwCkbByAQAkg5hlvLF8YUAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Syed","middleName":"Aman","lastName":"Ali","suffix":""},{"id":633938584,"identity":"6badec4d-6e0e-48f2-a4d3-338ccd63f3ca","order_by":1,"name":"Muhammad Wasi Abbas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Muhammad","middleName":"Wasi","lastName":"Abbas","suffix":""},{"id":633938585,"identity":"b78946e9-efff-48ef-a2e3-346851a820e9","order_by":2,"name":"Ghana Raza","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ghana","middleName":"","lastName":"Raza","suffix":""},{"id":633938586,"identity":"5a683335-0902-42e6-8a37-c05aac1ff758","order_by":3,"name":"Syed Tafazzul Hyder Zaidi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Jinnah Sindh Medical University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Syed","middleName":"Tafazzul Hyder","lastName":"Zaidi","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-05-04 07:31:53","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":true,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":true,"humanSubjectConsent":true,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9605312/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9605312/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":108804605,"identity":"084da138-e149-4611-8455-d54e46303132","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-08 15:22:12","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":820950,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Finalmanuscriptweightlossresearch.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9605312/v1_covered_ccd74c10-33ef-417e-85bf-41cb7e51bc6b.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMotivations and Perceived Barriers to Weight Loss in young adults of Karachi: A Cross-sectional Study\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"obesity, weight loss, motivations, barriers, young adults, Pakistan, self-determination theory, cross-sectional study","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9605312/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9605312/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground:\u003c/strong\u003e Obesity represents a growing public health burden in urban Pakistan, yet the motivational and barrier profiles of young adults in this context remain largely uninvestigated. Understanding what drives weight loss efforts and what impedes them is essential for designing effective, culturally appropriate interventions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods:\u003c/strong\u003e A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among 209 adults aged 18–25 years in Karachi with a BMI ≥ 23 kg/m² (WHO Asian-specific threshold). Participants were recruited through social media and in-person channels. Weight loss motivations were assessed using an adapted 24-item validated scale comprising three subscales (health, social/external, appearance/self-esteem), and perceived barriers were measured using a modified 23-item validated questionnaire across three domains (physical/exercise, dietary/social, food environment). Non-parametric tests were used for group comparisons, and multiple linear regression identified predictors of total barrier scores.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults:\u003c/strong\u003e Health-related motivations were most strongly endorsed (M = 3.34, SD = 0.49), followed by appearance/self-esteem (M = 2.88, SD = 0.75) and social/external motivations (M = 2.25, SD = 0.73). Food-environment barriers were rated as most prominent (M = 3.11, SD = 0.93), followed by dietary/social (M = 2.88, SD = 0.77) and physical/exercise barriers (M = 2.77, SD = 0.77). The most highly endorsed barriers were time constraints for physical activity, stress-related dietary difficulty, and differing family food patterns. Females reported significantly higher physical/exercise barrier scores than males (U = 6201.5, p = .046, r = .14). No significant differences were found across BMI categories, income brackets, or education levels. In regression analysis, appearance/self-esteem motivation (β = .24, p = .006) and social/external motivation (β = .17, p = .050) were independent positive predictors of perceived barrier magnitude, while health motivation was not (β = −.04, p = .522).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion:\u003c/strong\u003e Among young adults in urban Pakistan, health concerns dominate weight loss motivation while structural, social, and environmental factors constitute the most prominent barriers. Motivation type — rather than demographic or anthropometric characteristics — predicted perceived barrier severity, with externally and appearance-driven motivation associated with greater difficulty. These findings suggest that weight management programmes should be anchored in health-framed, autonomy-supportive messaging and should address time constraints, family food dynamics, and the limited availability of female-accessible physical activity spaces.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Motivations and Perceived Barriers to Weight Loss in young adults of Karachi: A Cross-sectional Study","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-05 16:19:33","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9605312/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"fb58b363-3b2c-4408-ae5f-e46fa42bb24c","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 5th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":67462361,"name":"Psychology"},{"id":67462362,"name":"Preventive Medicine"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-05T16:19:33+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-05 16:19:33","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9605312","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9605312","identity":"rs-9605312","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}