title: Improving Obesity Prevention and Management in Primary Care in Canada.
abstract: Obesity is a major risk factor for chronic diseases with significant morbidity, mortality and health care cost. There is concern due to the dramatic increase in overweight and obesity in Canada in the last 20 years. The causes of obesity are multifactorial, with underestimation by patients and healthcare providers of the long-term nature of the condition, and its complexity. Solutions related to prevention and management will require multifaceted strategies involving education, health policy, public health and health systems across the care continuum. We believe that to support such strategies we need to have a strong primary care workforce equipped with appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes to support persons at risk for, or with, obesity. To achieve this end, significant skills building is required to improve primary care obesity prevention and management efforts. This review will first examine the current state, and then will outline how we can improve.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit, 2-004 Li Ka Shing Ctr, University of Alberta, 87 Ave and 112st, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada. denise.campbell-scherer@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campbell-Scherer
authors.affiliation: 1-116 Li Ka Shing Ctr, University of Alberta, 87th Avenue and 112th Street, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.
authors.forename: Arya Mitra
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011634:Public Health
keywords: Barriers; Control trial; Health education; Knowledge translation; Obesity; Primary care; Primary health care