LAS VEGAS — A survey of 218 Louisiana physicians found widespread disapproval of obese patients and limited use of current clinical strategies for managing obesity, Catherine M. Champagne, Ph.D., reported in two posters at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity.
Of respondents, 63% said most health professionals have negative attitudes toward obese patients, and 64% said obese patients are resistant to long-term change. Also, 74% agreed with a statement characterizing obese patients as inactive overeaters who usually do not follow their doctors' advice.
Asked about the weight loss options that they gave their patients, the physicians most often checked off calorie counting (31%), Weight Watchers (29%), and popular diet books (23%). Only 9% recommended exchange lists for weight management. Even fewer (2%) suggested meal replacements such as Slim-Fast.
“We need continuing education for primary care physicians in their office-based assessment and intervention practices,” said Dr. Champagne, chief of nutritional epidemiology/dietary assessment and counseling at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La.
Most physicians were concerned about obesity in their patients and the nation. Half the respondents ranked obesity as a very serious health risk in their practices, and 84% recognized obesity to be a disease similar to hypertension or diabetes, she said at the meeting, which was cosponsored by the American Diabetes Association.
In some cases, she added, patient attitudes might be factors in the physicians' choices. For example, 56% of physicians rarely or never prescribed weight-loss medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Their patients may not want to take these medications, she said. The Food Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans were almost as unpopular, with 39% of physicians saying they rarely or never encourage patients to follow them.
The survey was sent to all physicians listed in Louisiana's medical registry for East Baton Rouge and 13 rural parishes. About 22% responded, more than twice as many as expected, Dr. Champagne said.