Comparison of body perceptions between obese primary care patients and physicians: implications for practice.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the body image and weight perceptions of primary care patients and their physicians as a first step toward identifying a potential tool to aid physician-patient communication.


METHODS
Patients with a body mass index (BMI)> or =30 (n=456, 66% female) completed body image and weight status measures after office visits; physicians (n=29) rated the body figures and weight status of these same patients after office visits.


RESULTS
Controlling for BMI, female patients and their physicians showed little or no difference in body figure selection or weight status classification, whereas male patients were significantly less likely than their physicians to self-identify with larger body figures (z=3.74, p<0.01) and to classify themselves as obese or very obese (z=4.83, p<0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings reveal that physicians and female patients have generally concordant views of the patient's body size and weight status, whereas male patients perceive themselves to be smaller than do their physicians. The discrepancy between male patient and physician views is especially evident at increasingly larger body figure/weight status categories.


CONCLUSIONS
When counseling male patients on weight loss, it could be helpful to assess body image and use this information to raise patient awareness of their size and to facilitate communication about weight.
Pulvers
Kim M
KM
Department of Psychology, California State University-San Marcos, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos, CA 92096-0001, USA. kpulvers@csusm.edu
Kaur
Harsohena
H
Nollen
Nicole L
NL
Greiner
K Allen
KA
Befort
Christie A
CA
Hall
Sandra
S
Born
Wendi
W
Fitzgibbon
Marian L
ML
Ahluwalia
Jasjit S
JS
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003142:Communication; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas; D008297:Male; D054526:Men's Health; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012737:Sex Factors