Abstract
BackgroundGeneral practitioners (GPs) can play an important role in both the prevention and management of overweight and obesity. Current general practice guidelines in the Netherlands allow room for GPs to execute their own weight management policy.ObjectiveTo examine GPs’ current weight management policy and the factors associated with this policy.Methods800 Dutch GPs were asked to complete a questionnaire in December 2012. The questionnaire items were based on the Dutch Obesity Standard for GPs. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses in 2013.ResultsIn total, 307 GPs (39.0%) responded. Most respondents (82.9%) considered weight management as part of their responsibility for providing care. GPs aged <48 years discussed weight less frequent. Next, weight is less frequently discussed with patients without weight-related comorbidities or with moderately overweight patients compared to obese patients. On average, 47.7% of the GPs reported to refer obese patients to a weight management professional, preferably a dietitian (98.3%). GPs with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 were less likely to refer obese patients. In addition, GPs who had frequent contact with a dietitian were more likely to refer obese patients.ConclusionsIn the context of General Practice and preventive medicine, GPs’ discussion of weight and the variety of obesity-determinants with their moderately overweight patients deserves more attention, especially from younger GPs. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration between GPs and dietitians could increase the referral percentage for dietary treatment.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2052-9538-1-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
General practitioners (GPs) can play an important role in both the prevention and management of overweight and obesity
Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration between GPs and dietitians could increase the referral percentage for dietary treatment
The objective of the present study is to explore GPs’ policy on the management of overweight and obesity as well as factors associated with this policy
Summary
General practitioners (GPs) can play an important role in both the prevention and management of overweight and obesity. The number of people with overweight and obesity has increased rapidly in recent decades. In the Netherlands alone, the prevalence of adults with overweight increased from 28.2% to 36.8% between 1981 and 2011. Without preventive action it is estimated that overweight and obesity in the Netherlands may affect two thirds of the adult population by 2024 [3]. Dutch healthcare costs directly related to overweight and obesity are substantial [4]. Overweight and obesity are important risk factors for chronic diseases like Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, different types of cancer (endometrial, breast, colon) osteoarthritis [5] and are related to poorer quality of life [6]. Obesity is significantly associated with major depressive disorders and anxiety disorders [7]
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