title: Physician knowledge about and perceptions of obesity management.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Approximately 35% of US adults are obese. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice patterns of primary care physicians (PCPs), endocrinologists (ENDOs), cardiologists (CARDs) and bariatricians (BARIs) regarding obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case vignette survey was distributed to 1625 US-based PCPs, ENDOs, CARDs, and BARIs via email and fax in February 2013. Results were analysed with PASW Statistics 18.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Respondents included 100 PCPs, 100 ENDOs, 70 CARDs, and 30 BARIs. The majority agreed obesity is a disease as defined by the AMA, however, half of PCPs, ENDOs, and CARDs also agreed obesity results from a lack of self-control. Familiarity with select obesity guidelines was low. Nearly all respondents used body mass index for obesity screening. No consensus as to when to initiate weight-loss medication was observed. Many physicians expected a larger weight loss with pharmacotherapy than is realistic (∼ 30%) or were unsure (∼ 22%). A majority of PCPs, ENDOs and CARDs expected less excess weight loss with gastric bypass surgery than is realistic, BARIs had a more reasonable expectation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, respondents demonstrated knowledge gaps for obesity guidelines and pathophysiology and generally lacked understanding of obesity medication efficacy, safety and MOA.
authors: CE Outcomes, LLC, 107 Frankfurt Circle, Birmingham, AL 35211, United States. Electronic address: Taglauser57@gmail.com.
authors: Terry Ann
authors: TA
authors: Glauser
authors: CE Outcomes, LLC, 107 Frankfurt Circle, Birmingham, AL 35211, United States.
authors: Nancy
authors: N
authors: Roepke
authors: Novo Nordisk, 800 Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, United States.
authors: Boris
authors: B
authors: Stevenin
authors: Novo Nordisk, 800 Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, United States.
authors: Anne Marie
authors: AM
authors: Dubois
authors: Novo Nordisk, 800 Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, United States.
authors: Soo Mi
authors: SM
authors: Ahn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: Knowledge gaps; Obesity; Physician attitudes; Physician practice patterns; Weight loss management