Promotion of Weight Loss by Health-Care Professionals: Implications for Influencing Weight Loss/Control Behaviors

Purpose: Despite evidence demonstrating that health-care providers (HCPs) can effectively promote health behaviors and weight loss among their patients, the extent to which HCPs promote weight loss among overweight and obese adults is not fully understood as the studies on this topic have mostly been conducted in convenience samples. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which HCPs promote weight loss among overweight and obese adults. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2012. Participants: A total of 2291 overweight or obese adults (males 46%, females 54%) of varying racial/ethnic backgrounds. Measures: Weight loss/maintenance promotion from HCP was assessed via patient self-report, with weight status assessed via measured body mass index. Analysis: Descriptive statistics and regression. Results: Among those receiving health care in the past 12 months, 19.4% of overweight, 46.8% of obese class 1, 62.8% of obese class 2, and 76.9% of obese class 3 adults were advised to lose/control their weight, and the odds of being advised to control/lose weight by HCP increased accordingly. These results were similar when evaluated across various subpopulations (eg, age, gender). Those who received advice to lose/control weight had 3 times the odds of adopting weight loss/control behaviors (odds ratio = 3.1). Conclusions: Additional weight loss promotion among overweight and all classes of obese adults is needed from HCP.