title: Assessing patients' and GPs' ability to recognise overweight and obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the ability of GPs and patients to recognise overweight and obesity, determine factors associated with accurate weight perception, and identify methods used by patients and GPs to manage patient overweight and obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected in a substudy of the BEACH research program (a continuous, randomised, national cross-sectional survey of general practice activity in Australia).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1,599 sampled adult patients, 31.5% were overweight, 23.7% obese and 4.7% morbidly obese. One in four (26.8%) overweight/obese patients (BMI ≥25.0) did not consider themselves overweight. There was an association between patient age and sex and accurate weight perception. Overweight/obese females and those aged 45-64 years were most likely to recognise their overweight. GPs correctly identified 60.8% of overweight patients, but underestimated 35.7% as normal weight. They also identified 60.0% of obese patients, but incorrectly categorised 37.0% as overweight and 3.0% normal weight. There was no association between GP age and sex and accurate weight perception.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients' and GPs' perception of weight can often be inaccurate, with many not recognising overweight and obesity. Improvement in recognition of overweight and obesity may increase management and encourage early intervention to prevent disease associated with these weight problems.
authors.affiliation: Family Medicine Research Centre, University of Sydney, New South Wales.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Family Medicine Research Centre, University of Sydney, New South Wales.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Family Medicine Research Centre, University of Sydney, New South Wales.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.affiliation: Family Medicine Research Centre, University of Sydney, New South Wales.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010361:Patients; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: general practice; obesity; overweight; weight management