title: Prevalence of obesity according to Edmonton staging in the Internal Medicine consultations. Results of the OBEMI study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence of obesity in patients treated by departments of Internal Medicine and to classify the patients according to the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS).
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational, descriptive cross-sectional study included outpatients older than 18 years, with a body mass index (BMI)>30, from 38 hospitals between the 1st and 14th of February, 2016. We classified the patients according to the EOSS and analysed their clinical, laboratory and demographic variables. A value of P<.05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1,262 patients treated in consultations, we recruited 298 and analysed 265. The prevalence of obesity was 23.6%, the mean age was 62.47±15.27 years, and the mean BMI was 36.1±5.3kg/m2. According to EOSS stage (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4), the prevalence was 4.9, 14.7, 62.3, 15.5 and 2.64%, respectively. Those patients with EOSS>2 were significantly older and had significantly more comorbidities. The multivariate analysis related age (OR 1.06; P<.0003), blood glucose (OR 1.04; P<.0006), total cholesterol (OR 0.98; P<.02) and uric acid (OR 1.32; P<.02) levels with an EOSS>2. An analysis of correspondence grouped, with an explanatory percentage of 78.2%, the patients according to their EOSS, comorbidity, education level, employment status and functional capacity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of obesity in the patients treated by Internal Medicine departments is similar to that of the general population, although the patients are older and have a higher BMI. EOSS is useful for implementing a comprehensive approach for patients with obesity, regardless of the BMI, which can help achieve better health and quality-of-life results.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Comarcal de Zafra, Zafra, Badajoz, España. Electronic address: juanicarretero@gmail.com.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carretero Gómez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Comarcal de Zafra, Zafra, Badajoz, España.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Arévalo Lorido
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Málaga, Málaga, España.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gómez Huelgas
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Fundación Hospital de Jové, Gijón, Asturias, España.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sánchez Vidal
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital San Rafael, A Coruña, España.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suárez Tembra
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERSAM), Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Varela Aguilar
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, León, España.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Munielo Voces
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, León, España.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández Pérez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Carmen y Severo Ochoa, Cangas del Narcea, Asturias, España.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Marina Baixa, La Vila Joiosa, Alicante, España.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ena Muñoz
keywords: Comorbidities; Comorbilidades; Edmonton; Obesidad; Obesity; Prevalence; Prevalencia