Young people, physical activity and the weight of desirable bodies: Tales from an ethnographic study in two youth centres
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This document summarizes an ethnographic study conducted at two youth centers exploring how physical activity fits into the daily lives of teenagers and how they perceive physical activity. Participant observation and interviews were conducted with over 50 young people from three distinct groups. Key themes that emerged included how social contexts influence engagement in physical activity and its role in weight and body management. The study found that weight management discourses are not always beneficial to health in adolescence, and that this transitional life phase affects engagement in physical activity. Ethnographic methods provided insights into these issues in public health research.
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Young people, physical activity and the weight of desirable bodies: Tales from an ethnographic study in two youth centres
- 1. 1 Tales from an ethnographic study in two youth centres
- 2. 8 out of 10 obese teenagers will become obese adults (Department of Health, 2014)
- 3. Ethnographic research can explore why young people do physical activity and how it is embedded within social processes and structures of everyday lives.
- 4. o How does physical activity fit into daily lives and how do young people perceive, reject, or take up physical activity within their local socioeconomic and physical environments? • Participant observation data from over 50 young people • Narratives from 30 individuals o Themes concerning weight management • The self, masculinity, weight (loss and gain), desirable bodies, and life-‐phases
- 5. • 1. Predominantly White British (13-‐18 year olds) • 2. Predominantly Eastern European boys (13-‐17 years old) • 2. Mixed ethnicity young men (20-‐21 years old) Three distinct groups within two youth organisations in the North East of England
- 6. “ Well you don’t wanna just do it for nothing, you need to have something you wanna reach, mine is the 70kg.” “It’s a self thing, about beating yourself, reaching your goal and your body is just gonna get more in shape.”
- 7. “I’m getting older an older and more and more broke and I am gonna need more money innit” “it’s a waste of money innit … I guarantee I will not change”
- 8. “Not only I'm having fun but can lose weight can't you? If you got into routine of doing it you’d notice a difference I think.” “I know at our age schools are worried that kids are gonna be obese but at the same time you shouldn’t really worry”
- 9. “I feel trusted on the internet …I stay at home cos I’m sick of being bullied” “I’d rather go outside but when I go outside I get shouted at so I’m like nope, staying inside.” “I love PE… I li ke the gym” “Exercise is a d rug, like a natu ral drug”
- 10. • Social context is important for comprehending how physical activity fits into day-‐to-‐day lives, how it is understood and also how and why it is used for weight and body management • Weight management discourses are not always beneficial for young people’s health • Adolescence is a complex transitional life-‐ phase and the experience of it affects engagement in physical activity • The use of ethnographic methods and insights in public health research
- 11. Special thanks go to my supervisors Dr Kate Hampshire and Dr Tessa Pollard, the ESRC for funding the PhD, and the young people and youth centres involved in the research.