The impact of physician weight discussion on weight loss in US adults.

PROBLEM: The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States and worldwide is at epidemic levels. Physicians may play a vital role in addressing this epidemic. We aimed to examine the association of a physician's discussion of patients’ weight status with self-reported weight loss. We hypothesized that physician discussion of patients’ being overweight is associated with increased weight loss in patients with overweight and obesity. METHODS: Data analysis of participants (n = 5054) in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2005-2008. The main outcome was rates of self-reported weight loss and the association with physicians’ discussion of their patients’ weight status. RESULTS: Overweight and obese participants were significantly more likely to report a 5% weight loss in the past year if their doctor had told them they were overweight (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.88; 95% CI 1.45-2.44; AOR 1.79; 95% CI 1.30-2.46, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Physicians’ direct discussion of their patients’ weight status is associated with clinically significant patient weight loss and may be a targetable intervention. Further studies are needed to determine if increasing physician discussion of patients’ weight status leads to significant weight loss.

Duke Scholars

Author Kathryn IIonka Pollak Population Health Sciences