Introduction:
Obesity is associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Primary health care providers can positively impact on patient behaviour change and weight management, and clinical practice guidelines recommend that general practitioners (GPs) promote and provide advice to patients about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, including weight management; however, concerns about damaging the patient relationship can make it difficult for GPs to raise the topic of weight and obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of Australians who report talking to a GP about their weight.
Method:
Nationally representative data from the 2014–15 National Health Survey were used to estimate the numbers and characteristics of Australians aged 15 years and over who have discussed reaching a healthy weight with their GP.
Results:
Of the sample of 18,954 respondents, we showed that 30.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 28.7 – 31.9) of people estimated to be obese (BMI≥30 kg/m2) reported discussing reaching a healthy weight with a GP in the previous 12 months.
Of those, higher proportions of people with poor or fair self-reported health, people with moderate-to-high levels of psychological distress, and those with hypertension, diabetes, or more self-reported comorbidities, reported discussing weight with a GP in the previous 12 months. The higher the number of reported GP visits in the previous year, the higher the proportion of people with obesity who talked about their weight.
Conclusion:
Our results help to identify parts of the population who may not be discussing reaching a healthy weight with their GP. The findings raise awareness for primary care providers about specific patient groups who might benefit from targeted strategies. In particular, our findings highlight the opportunity for earlier intervention, by initiating discussions with patients about their weight before the patient develops comorbidities, and other weight-related health issues.