Clinical management, economic and quality-of-life impacts among consulting people with obesity in Brazil: results from a real-world survey

Abstract

Objective: Obesity prevalence is increasing in Brazil. Real-world observational data were used to understand clinical weight management practice, and the economic and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) impact of obesity.

Materials and methods: Data were derived from the Adelphi Real World Obesity Disease Specific Programme (DSP)™, a cross-sectional survey of people with obesity (PwO) and treating physicians, conducted in Brazil May-October 2022. Physicians reported demographic/clinical characteristics and current/previous weight management. PwO reported emotional/financial impact of obesity, and completed patient-reported outcomes on HRQoL, and activity/work impairment.

Results: In total, 99 physicians reported on 895 PwO. Mean ± SD PwO age was 43.1 ± 13.7, majority were female (60.9%) and white (71.7%). Mean ± SD BMI at survey was 33.8 ± 9.4 with 40.5%, 23.2% and 11.1% of PwO having class 1, 2 or 3 obesity. Weight management was most commonly at PwO request (43.4%), and consisted of prescription weight loss drug (53.6%), and dietician or physician-supervised diets (79.9% and 55.1%). Most PwO reported financial impact due to obesity treatment and reported being bothered/embarrassed by their weight. SF-36v2 physical summary scores ranged from 52.4 ± 9.3 to 45.6 ± 8.6 and mental summary scores from 45.5 ± 9.3 to 42.2 ± 12.3 (BMI < 30 to class 3 obesity). Overall work and activity impairment ranged from 20.0 ± 22.7 to 42.4 ± 28.4 (BMI < 30 and class 2 obesity) and from 24.7 ± 25.2 to 43.2 ± 32.5 (BMI < 30 to class 3 obesity), and 3.2% did not work due to obesity.

Conclusion: PwO have a substantial impact on work, and financial, emotional and quality-of-life burden. Our data highlight the need for more efficacious obesity management, to help reduce work and activity impairment, improve quality of life.

Keywords: Brazil; burden; cost of illness; cross-sectional study; obesity management; quality of life.

Figure 1

PwO-reported emotional impact of obesity. A) Proportions of PwO reporting being bothered by their current weight. B) Proportion of PwO reporting levels of embarrassment experienced by PwO when out in public. C) Proportion of PwO reporting levels of being comfortable discussing weight with family. PwO: people living with obesity

Figure 2

Patient-reported outcomes, split by BMI class. A) General health status was assessed using the SF-36v2 measure, in eight domains, with two component summary scores. Higher scores indicate better HRQoL, with scores between 47 and 53 considered within normative range and scores < 47 as indicative of impairment. B) Level of activity and work impairment was assessed by the WPAI, shown as percentage of impairment in each domain. Overall activity impairment covers all PwO, overall work impairment and presenteeism/absenteeism scores cover all working PwO. BMI: body mass index; HRQOL: health-related quality of life; PwO: people living with obesity; WPAI: Work Productivity and Activity Impairment