TY - JOUR
T1 - An exploration of the diagnosis and treatment of obesity among integrative medicine health care providers
AU - Diaz, Sara
AU - Hite, Ashley
AU - Plunkett, Beth A.
AU - Elue, Rita
AU - Victorson, David
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier GmbH
PY - 2020/4
Y1 - 2020/4
N2 - Introduction: Little is known about how Integrative Medicine (IM) providers diagnose and treat obesity. The study objectives were to explore the diagnosis and treatment of obesity, to evaluate the accuracy of visual inspection of body mass index (BMI) category, and to assess barriers to weight loss counseling among providers. Methods: A survey was administered to providers through the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health, Bravewell Clinical Network, and Pan Osher sites. Participants were asked to select the BMI category of 19 individuals based on a full-length photograph. Provider behaviors and barriers regarding the management of obesity were assessed. Results: Surveys were sent to approximately 200 providers. A total of 67 people responded, 60 of whom met the inclusion criteria for an approximate response rate of 34 %. Respondents represented 14 different professions; 47 %, physicians (MD), 13 %, licensed acupuncturists (LAc), 8%, registered dieticians (RD). The accuracy of visual assessment of BMI was 45 %, and providers were more likely to underestimate BMI category (44 %) than overestimate (12 %, p < .001). Few providers (<13 %) strongly agreed or agreed with common barriers to weight loss counseling. All (100 %) MDs, RDs, LAcs, and nurses agreed that it is their profession's role to address obesity. Some IM physicians strongly agreed or agreed they felt comfortable prescribing weight loss medications (29 %) or discussing surgical interventions (36 %). Conclusions: IM providers in our study felt it was their role to address obesity. However, the accuracy of visual inspection was low, and some IM physicians felt comfortable discussing medical or surgical interventions.
AB - Introduction: Little is known about how Integrative Medicine (IM) providers diagnose and treat obesity. The study objectives were to explore the diagnosis and treatment of obesity, to evaluate the accuracy of visual inspection of body mass index (BMI) category, and to assess barriers to weight loss counseling among providers. Methods: A survey was administered to providers through the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health, Bravewell Clinical Network, and Pan Osher sites. Participants were asked to select the BMI category of 19 individuals based on a full-length photograph. Provider behaviors and barriers regarding the management of obesity were assessed. Results: Surveys were sent to approximately 200 providers. A total of 67 people responded, 60 of whom met the inclusion criteria for an approximate response rate of 34 %. Respondents represented 14 different professions; 47 %, physicians (MD), 13 %, licensed acupuncturists (LAc), 8%, registered dieticians (RD). The accuracy of visual assessment of BMI was 45 %, and providers were more likely to underestimate BMI category (44 %) than overestimate (12 %, p < .001). Few providers (<13 %) strongly agreed or agreed with common barriers to weight loss counseling. All (100 %) MDs, RDs, LAcs, and nurses agreed that it is their profession's role to address obesity. Some IM physicians strongly agreed or agreed they felt comfortable prescribing weight loss medications (29 %) or discussing surgical interventions (36 %). Conclusions: IM providers in our study felt it was their role to address obesity. However, the accuracy of visual inspection was low, and some IM physicians felt comfortable discussing medical or surgical interventions.
KW - Attitudes
KW - Body mass index
KW - Counseling
KW - Health knowledge
KW - Integrative medicine
KW - Obesity management
KW - Physicians'
KW - Practice
KW - Practice patterns
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U2 - 10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101108
DO - 10.1016/j.eujim.2020.101108
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85082387321
SN - 1876-3820
VL - 35
JO - European Journal of Integrative Medicine
JF - European Journal of Integrative Medicine
M1 - 101108
ER -