Counseling Patients With Obesity

Excerpt

Obesity is an increasing global challenge for healthcare providers. According to the World Health Organization, the worldwide prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled since 1975, with more than 1.9 billion adults overweight and 650 million with obesity in 2016. Obesity is associated with a lower life expectancy. It is a risk factor for several chronic diseases, such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, and diabetes, as well as a range of mental disorders. Many individuals with obesity experience discrimination and stigmatization. Global healthcare costs for patients with obesity are approximately 30% higher than for individuals without obesity.

The literature demonstrates the importance of the physician-patient relationship and frequent clinical interactions in improving patient outcomes in obesity, including adherence to medications, higher motivation, and uptake of preventative care activities. Therefore, healthcare practitioners must develop a framework and utilize proper tools to counsel their patients and improve their communication regarding weight management. Specific barriers exist within the medical community related to counseling patients with overweight or obesity. Many clinicians do not think counseling is feasible for various reasons, including time constraints and lack of appropriate training. Additionally, studies show that healthcare practitioners have negative attitudes toward patients with excess weight and often blame psychological and behavioral factors as the root causes of obesity. Negative attitudes and biases in the healthcare setting towards patients with overweight and obesity have detrimental effects on these high-risk patients who are vulnerable while seeking care and recommendations for health promotion. These findings emphasize the need for improvements in medical education and communication about excess weight.