title: Obesity education for nurse practitioners: perspectives from nurse practitioner faculty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to investigate curriculum content and teaching practices about obesity in graduate nursing programs in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of 1202 faculty members teaching in nurse practitioner (NP) programs was conducted using an investigator-created instrument with items based on the National Institutes of Health Obesity Education Initiative guidelines. Objective items were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistics, and the open-ended questions were analyzed using content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NP faculty emphasized existing clinical practice guidelines, but revealed a large disparity between what is emphasized in schools of nursing and the state of the science regarding obesity etiology and management. Faculty place a priority on teaching obesity as a key factor in the development of comorbidities, and weight loss as a means of treating these comorbidities. Teaching about the pathophysiology of obesity, management of bariatric surgery patients, and pharmacologic therapy are de-emphasized. Four main themes about obesity teaching practices were identified from subjects' comments to open-ended items.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional education and support are needed for faculty to teach about obesity in a way that advances the care of obese patients based on emerging scientific principles.
authors.affiliation: Anita Thigpen Perry School of Nursing, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas.
authors.forename: Mary Madeline
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rogge
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Merrill
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate; D005181:Faculty, Nursing; D006801:Humans; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education*; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States
keywords: Obesity; education; nurse practitioner; research