Introduction: Obesity is a major public health issue that reduces lifespan and negatively impacts quality of life. Consumption of processed and energy-dense foods has contributed to the increasing problem of overweight and obesity. In Slovenia, programs such as Healthy Weight Loss are used to reduce body weight, but there is a lack of research on the long-term effects on the participants' dietary habits. Purpose: To explore the dietary habits of participants in the health education workshop "Healthy Weight Loss" in the Nazarje Upper Savinja Health Center, one year or more after the workshop ended. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study, which was carried out on a sample of ten participants in the "Healthy Weight Loss" workshop. We used an unstandardized semi-structured in-depth interview to collect data. The interviews were coded using NVIVO software, and five main themes were identified: knowledge of healthy eating, dietary habits, obstacles to healthy eating, motivators for healthy eating, and suggestions for improving dietary habits. Results: Participants in the Healthy Weight Loss health education workshops have a healthy balance of meals and mostly consume adequate amounts of vegetables, fruit and cereal products every day. Most participants mainly follow adequate portions and eat more vegetables, followed by less sugary foods. Most prepare their own food, use several methods of food preparation and almost always look at the declaration on the product. Cost is the biggest barrier to healthy eating, while lack of motivation and the quantity of food consumed influence changes in eating behaviour. Most of the interviewees are adapting to the family and therefore cannot follow such a healthy eating pattern. Cooking for oneself makes it difficult to prepare healthy meals, and celebrations are also a barrier to healthy eating. Discussion and conclusion: The study showed that it would make sense to mention the healthy plate method more often in workshops. The biggest obstacle to healthy eating is cost. To motivate people towards healthy eating, workshops could encourage participants to engage in gardening. Additionally, workshops on healthy weight loss could place a greater emphasis on participant self-discipline. We propose that healthcare professionals maintain contact with participants after the workshop, provide education (including online), send reminders, and promote a healthy lifestyle through social media. Phone counseling and digitalization can also help motivate people towards healthy eating.
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