Weight-related perceptions among patients and physicians: how well do physicians judge patients' motivation to lose weight?
BACKGROUND
Prior studies suggest that patients and physicians have different perceptions and expectations surrounding weight; however, few studies have directly compared patients' and physicians' perspectives.


OBJECTIVE
(1) To measure the extent to which obese patients and their physicians have discrepant weight-related perceptions, and (2) to explore patient and physician characteristics that may influence patient-physician discrepancy in motivation to lose weight.


METHODS
Four hundred and fifty-six obese patients (302 females; mean age = 55.1 years; mean BMI = 37.9) and their 28 primary care physicians (22 males, mean age = 44.1 years) from nonmetropolitan practices completed an anonymous survey after an office visit.


METHODS
Weight-related perceptions included perceived weight status, health impact of weight, 1-year weight loss expectations, and motivation to lose weight. Correlates included patient and physician sex, age, and BMI; physicians' reported frequency, perceived patient preference, and confidence for weight counseling; and practice characteristics (e.g., years in practice).


RESULTS
Physicians assigned patients to heavier descriptive weight categories and reported a worse health impact than patients perceived for themselves, whereas patients believed they could lose more weight and reported a higher motivation to lose weight than their physicians perceived for patients (P < .001). Physicians who believed patients preferred to discuss weight more often (P = .001) and who saw more patients per week (P = .04) were less likely to underestimate patient motivation.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients reported more optimistic weight-related perceptions and expectations than their physicians. Further research is needed to determine how these patient-physician discrepancies may influence weight loss counseling in primary care.
Befort
Christie A
CA
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA. cbefort@kumc.edu
Greiner
K Allen
KA
Hall
Sandra
S
Pulvers
Kim M
KM
Nollen
Nicole L
NL
Charbonneau
Andrea
A
Kaur
Harsohena
H
Ahluwalia
Jasjit S
JS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology