Sammendrag
Background: During the last decade overweight has become one of the most common health
problems in the world. Several strategies have been tried implemented to counter this
development. Exercise groups for overweight children are one example of a potential counter
strategy. Children`s own experiences of participating in these exercise groups have however
been poorly documented.
Purpose: The objective of this study was to document how children, who participate in
exercise groups for overweight children, evaluate their experience.
Material & methods: Data was collected by participating in an exercise group for
overweight children between the ages of 8 to15. Participant observations as well as in-depth
interviews of 6 children allowed the researcher to gather important information from the
participants. The data was later processed and analyzed in accordance with systematic text
condensation and thematic analysis.
Results: This study showed that children had an overall pleasant experience when
participating in the exercise group. The children indicated general well-being, happiness from
making new friends, feelings of accomplishment as well as self-determination. It became
evident that the goal of getting in better shape motivated the children to continue exercising
on their own free time. It was quite clear that activities which focused on endurance and
strength alone did not result in as much engagement as “play-centered” activities. The
children were also appreciative when given the opportunity to influence the exercise with
activities of their choosing.
Conclusion: The participants in the exercise group stated that their experience was positive.
The exercise group was an enjoyable arena for workouts, and it provided pleasant side effects
such as making new friends.
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