Physicians know they’re on the front lines in the fight against obesity, but many 
say they don’t have staff able to help patients with weight loss, according to a survey of 290 primary-care physicians by Harris Interactive.
Among the findings:
•89% of doctors believe it’s their responsibility to help patients lose weight.
• 72% say no one in their office has been trained to deal with weight problems.
•87% weigh patients at every office visit.
•45% say they regularly discuss weight with their patients.
•86% say they find it easy to discuss weight with their patients.
"What came through in the survey is that physicians don’t have many of the tools they need to help people succeed," says Christine Ferguson, director of the STOP Obesity Alliance, a coalition of professional groups, businesses, unions, insurers and health care providers.
Physicians who practice alone or in small groups don’t need nutritionists on staff, but they need access to groups in the community that can help patients, Ferguson says. "Bigger medical groups ought to have health professionals on staff who are trained in treating obesity.
"In the next five to 10 years, we are going to have to ramp this up, and physicians are going to have help patients lose weight," she says.
Government statistics show about 34% of U.S. adults are obese, which increases their risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, many types of cancer and other diseases.
In a separate telephone survey of 1,002 adults in the USA, also by Harris Interactive, only about one-third of those who are obese — roughly 30 or more pounds over a healthy weight — say they have been told by a health care professional they are too heavy. Of the patients who were told they are obese, most (90%) were advised to lose weight. Of those advised to lose weight, 36% say the medical professional never discussed ways to achieve a healthier weight.
The STOP Obesity Alliance, which commissioned the surveys, is releasing a position paper today at stopobesityalliance.org to give doctors guidance on treating patients’ weight problems during office visits.
Hi, Elaine.
I have definite feelings about this. I KNOW I can’t make other people change. My job as a physician is to identify problems and to suggest solutions. After hearing the medical opinion, I strongly believe that it is then the responsibility of each person to do what is right. If they want and need help, I can do that, or point them in the right direction. But if they don’t want to change, it is not my responsibility to try to change them. It is their problem.
In the wellness field, it is proven that your best return on investment comes from working with people who are motivated to change, or those on the fence. Willingness to change is a measurable thing. Spending resources on people who are not yet willing to change has been shown to be a waste.
Ferd´s last blog ..macro monday 4
I sure hope that the States gets universal health care for all Americans, Here in Canada if you are Diabetic, they have free clinics in your area that doctors send you to with nurses and nutrisionist so that you get the information you need in order to keep diabetes under control, or if you are just over weight they also send you to a nutriionist to help you loose weight and they also have personal trainers to advise you on what excerises that is fit for your condition to help you lose the weight as well as having gyms that you can attend if you want to to show you what the best excerices are best for you this is all free.
another thing that I have noticed when watching American TV commercial they sell their fast food way cheaper than they sell the same thing for here, perhaps the govt. should put a bigger tax on junk food so that people cannot afford to eat it as often, and lower the prices on fruit and vegetables, and other healthy food choices. especially when your insurance companies are not going out of their way to help those who need it most. I sure hope Obamas health care plan gets passed, at least it will be a start…
mary-Anne,
This is not the first time that I find your comments very interesting. Like I have said before, there is so much we could learn from your system!
Ferd´s last blog ..spring has sprung!
@Ferd, I agree with you in that health care professionals cannot make people change and make better choices. As a nurse that worked in acute care settings I had many patients that were “frequent fliers”, same CHF, same COPD people in and out of the hospital like a revolving door. When they reach that point all we can do is treat and manage exacerbations. Shouldn’t the goal be to stop it before it gets to that point? The way I see this whole health care mess is we as a nation have to reach people at all levels and classes of society to start education young. Start teaching nutrition again in the schools. Take the junk food out of schools. Start phys ed again. And we must have healthy nutritious food to everyone, not just those in the suburbs or rich enough to afford it. You and I are use to big beautiful grocery stores with the freshest fruits and vegetables and we tend to take that for granted as my daughter so aptly pointed out to me when she was doing one of her rotations while in medical school at Georgetown. She still treats the poor and see’s morbidly obese patients in her office everyday. The poor do not have the money but more importantly healthy fresh food available to them. So they continue to eat the cheap stuff out of a box, can or local corner fast food. And eventually end up in the frequent flier revolving door. And we as a society and nation are paying a heavy price for this which cannot be sustained.
@MaryAnne – I’ve told you before how I wish our health care system could incorporate some of yours. Diabetes especially. So often in my country (and I hear this from patients) they are diagnosed with diabetes. Given a lot of information to take home and read along with their prescription and see ya at your next visit. No wonder we have such problems with compliance. There is no doubt the US has the finest doctors and hospitals and we are good at treating illness. What we lack horribly in is preventing illness and keeping people healthy. Unless you have great insurance or money that is. Without that you’re screwed.