Behavior and Practices of Type 2 Diabetic Patients Regarding Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Obesity is a major public health concern and is associated with incident cardiovascular diseases. A very few studies around the globe have assessed how type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients comprehend obesity. Our study aims to evaluate the concerns and behaviors of T2D patients regarding obesity in a developing country like Pakistan. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Karachi during the period of December to February 2020 in which T2D patients were assessed for their comprehension of how obesity affects their disease and concerns, as well as their practices such as weight loss activities and dietary habits. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Version 24 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results Of 417 T2D patients inducted in our study, 265 (63.5%) knew their ideal body weight, whereas only 221 (52.9%) knew how to measure it. Among those who were willing to lose weight, this was mostly due to a wish to avoid further complications of obesity (N=155 [73.1%]) and also peer/family pressures (N=124 [58.5%]) among other reasons. More obese (N=68 [43.6%]) than non-obese participants (N=87 [33.3%]) were willing to consult a doctor to help them reduce weight. Participants had adopted various strategies to reduce weight, of which increasing exercise (N=242 [85.8%]) and healthy eating (N=162 [57.4%]) were most popular. Conclusions There is a need to address barriers to weight loss among T2D patients in Pakistan and to provide patients with pragmatic guidelines on how to make sustainable lifestyle changes to help reduce and maintain their body weight.