title: Screening and management of obesity and perception of weight status in Medicaid recipients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to identify any correlations among primary care provider weight screening and counseling, patient weight perception, and weight loss attempt.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional analysis of obesity-related questions from 2009 and 2010 Kentucky Medicaid Adult Patient and Provider survey data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1,510 patients [46% obese (body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2), 26% overweight (BMI 25 to <30), 26% normal weight (BMI 18 to <25), and 2% underweight (BMI<18)] and 787 providers (41% primary care) met criteria. Patients and providers differed on report of physician weight loss counseling (46% versus 92%). Patient report of physician weight loss counseling and weight loss attempt were positively correlated (77% with versus 38% without counseling, p<.01). One-fifth of patients underperceived their weight. Patients reporting physician weight counseling were less likely to underperceive their weight (13% versus 23%, p<.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight loss attempt and accurate weight perception were positively correlated with physician weight discussion.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Louisville, KY, USA. sro226@uky.edu
authors.forename: Stephanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: Yevgeniya
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gokun
authors.forename: Jeffery
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Talbert
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Conigliaro
mesh_terms: D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008484:Medicaid; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010819:Physician's Role; D014481:United States; D015431:Weight Loss