Primary care physicians’ knowledge and attitudes about obesity, adherence to treatment guidelines and association with confidence to treat obesity: a Swedish survey study

Is Obesity a Cause for Shame? Weight Bias and Stigma among Physicians, Dietitians, and Other Healthcare Professionals in Poland-A Cross-Sectional Study

Weight bias and weight stigma pose significant challenges in healthcare, particularly affecting obesity management practices and patient care quality. Our study evaluates their prevalence and impact among healthcare professionals in Poland. Using the Fat Phobia Scale and custom questions, we surveyed 686 professionals via Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI). Results reveal a moderate level of explicit weight bias (mean score: 3.60 ± 0.57), with significant variations across professional groups: physicians (3.70 ± 0.48), dietitians (3.51 ± 0.48), and others (3.44 ± 0.77). Common feelings towards individuals with obesity include willingness to help (57.0%) and compassion (37.8%), yet 29.9% perceive obesity as shameful. The results also vary depending on the respondent's sex or BMI. These findings underscore the need for evidence-based interventions to mitigate weight stigma and enhance understanding of obesity among healthcare professionals.

Attitudes and knowledge about weight management among primary care physicians in Israel: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of obesity has been increasing worldwide and is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Weight management can reduce the risk of complications and improve the quality of life of patients with obesity. This study explored primary care physicians' (PCPs') attitudes and knowledge about weight management.

METHODS

An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 400 PCPs between 2020 and 2021. The survey included questions on treatment approaches (pharmaceutical and surgical) and items regarding the respondents' demographic characteristics. We compared PCPs with low or high proactivity toward weight management. We explored attitudes and knowledge with the chi-square test for categorical variables or the Mann-Whitney test for continuous variables.

RESULTS

A total of 145 PCPs answered our survey (a response rate of 36.25%). More than half (53.8%) of the respondents showed low proactivity toward weight management in their practice. Proactive respondents were more likely to believe that pharmaceutical treatment effectively reduces weight and offered medical and surgical treatment options more frequently to their patients. Lack of knowledge was the most predominant reason for PCPs avoiding offering treatment to their patients, especially in less proactive PCPs (33.3% vs. 5.3%, p-value < 0.001). When comparing different pharmaceutical options, 46.6% of PCPs report they tend to prescribe liraglutide to their patients compared with only 11% who prescribe orlistat and 10.3% who prescribe phentermine (p-value < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Many PCPs still do not actively provide obesity treatment despite improved awareness and therapeutic options. PCPs' proactivity and attitudes are vital to this effort.

Gauging the Awareness of Physicians in Saudi Arabia Regarding Risk Factors for Thyroid Cancer

Background The prevalence of obesity and thyroid cancer (TC) is increasing worldwide, and obesity is a risk factor for TC. Objectives This study aimed to elucidate physicians' awareness of obesity as a risk factor for TC. Materials and methods A cross-sectional, self-report online questionnaire was distributed to physicians in all regions of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire comprised sociodemographic data and questions concerning the risk factors for TC, including obesity. Results A total of 310 physicians participated in this study. Of the respondents, 35.8% (n = 111) were aged 30-40 years, 40.6% (n = 126) were board certified, and 52.3% (n = 162) had >10 years of experience. Only 36.8% (n = 114) of respondents were familiar with the relationship between obesity and TC risk (P < 0.001). In terms of knowledge of obesity as a risk factor for TC, a significant difference was observed for the following sociodemographic characteristics: sex, educational attainment, and years of experience. A significant difference was also observed with awareness of other risk factors for TC. Conclusions In light of the limited awareness of the correlation between obesity and TC, the most effective approach to address these misconceptions would be to implement diverse and ongoing medical education initiatives.

Helping providers address psychological aspects of obesity in routine care: Development of the obesity adjustment dialogue tool (OADT)

Background

This study developed and validated a dialogue tool (Obesity Adjustment Dialogue Tool) to efficiently assess QoL and drive to eat for use in routine clinical care.

Methods

A 13-question interview was created, assessing the impact of living with obesity on quality of life and drive to eat. In a counter-balanced order, PwO were interviewed and completed the Obesity Adjustment Survey (OAS), the Impact of Obesity on Quality of Life-Lite scale (IWQoL), the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TREQ), and the Control of Eating Questionnaire (COEQ). Questionnaire results were used to validate the interview using correlational and concordance measures.

Results

101 PwO consented and 98 completed all measures (mean BMI = 37.8; 30.7% Class III obesity). Correlations between the QoL dialogue tool and validated instruments (OAS, IWQOL) were moderate to high. Correlations between cravings questions and validated measures (TFEQ, COEQ) were high except for attempts to control eating. Correspondence based on categorizing both the dialogue tool and scales into high/low impact was high except for attempts to control eating (which was dropped from the final tool).

Conclusion

The Obesity Adjustment Dialogue Tool is a brief clinician-led structured interview which closely matches information derived from validated scales. This tool offers an efficient approach to incorporating QoL factors into obesity management.

Providers' Knowledge and Perceptions of Bariatric Surgery: a Systematic Review

Bariatric surgery remains underutilized despite its proven efficacy in the management of obesity. Provider perceptions of bariatric surgery are important to consider when discussing utilization rates. PubMed, SCOPUS, and OVID databases were searched in April 2023, and 40 published studies discussing providers' knowledge and perceptions of bariatric surgery were included. There were generally positive perceptions of the efficacy of bariatric surgery, although overestimations of surgical risks and postoperative complications were common. Providers' previous training was associated with knowledge and perceptions of bariatric surgery and familiarity with perioperative management across studies. These perceptions were also associated with referral rates, suggesting that inadequate provider knowledge may contribute to bariatric surgery underutilization. We advocate for increased bariatric surgery-related education throughout all stages of medical training and across specialties.

Weight stigma and fat phobia in Poland - attitudes towards people living with obesity and the level of knowledge about obesity among the social media internet respondents and medical professionals

Introduction

Obesity often subjects individuals to stigmatization, impacting self-esteem, contributing to depression, social isolation, and even exacerbating weight gain. Our research aimed to evaluate weight stigma, fat phobia, their expressions, and obesity-related knowledge among social media internet respondents and medical practitioners in Poland.

Methods

Conducted through Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI), our study employed the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) and tailored questions, analyzing 1705 questionnaires.

Results

The respondents averaged a score of 3.60  ±  0.62 on the FPS. Interestingly, men exhibited higher stigma levels than women. Variables like BMI, residency, and interactions with people having obesity did not significantly impact stigma levels. Approximately 74.0% of respondents found individuals with obesity less attractive than those with normal weight, while 32.2% identified obesity as a cause of shame. Only 69.1% were aware of the BMI-based obesity diagnosis criterion.

Conclusion

Given limited knowledge of Poland's weight stigma landscape, our research yields crucial insights for shaping social campaigns and enhancing educational initiatives in obesity management for healthcare professionals. Further studies will be instrumental in addressing patient and practitioner needs effectively.