2.  Background
 Methodology
 Results
 Findings
 Implications
 Conclusion
 Questions

3.  Prevalence of obesity increasing
 Providers interacting with increasing numbers
of overweight/obese patients
 Early research found that obese/overweight
patients were less likely to seek care, avoid
preventative care

4.  Do physicians view
obese patients more
negatively than
normal weight
patients and does
this affect
recommendations
for care and
physician
expectations for
success?

5.  GoogleScholar
 PubMed
 Search terms: physician bias, physician
attitude, obese, overweight
 Selection Criteria
› Study Locus
› Type of Study
› Sample Demographics
› Geography

6. Grenier et al: Discussing Weight with Obese Primary Care Patients:
Physician and Patient Perceptions
Year Sample Methods Findings Limitations
2008 456 patients Survey Although physicians and patients had Recall Bias
with BMI different perceptions about weight
>30, 30 consultation during office visits, patients Limited
physicians, reported positive interactions. generalizability due to
patients primarily white female
primarily sample size
female,
physicians
primarily
male

7. Wadden et al: Obese Women’s Perceptions of their Physicians’
Weight Management Attitudes and Practices
Year Sample Methods Findings Limitations
2000 259 women Questionnaire Patients were generally satisfied with care Limited
with BMI >30 and reported positive experiences, but generalizability
reported lower satisfaction with care specific
to weight management. Specifically, patients Selection bias
expressed difficulty speaking with doctors
about weight issues and expressed
frustration that doctors failed to understand
the difficulties of being overweight.

8. Galuska et al: Are health care professionals advising obese
patients to lose weight?
Year Sample Methods Findings Limitations
1999 12,835 adults Telephone Less than half of participants had been told to Recall Bias
with BMI >30 Survey lose weight. Patients who were told to lose
(BRFSS weight reported that they were trying to lose
sample) weight at a rate more than twice that of those
who had not been advised to lose weight.

9. Foster et al: Primary care physicians’ attitudes about obesity and
its treatment
Year Sample Methods Findings Limitations
2003 5000 primary Questionnaire Physicians attributed obesity to behavioral Polarity of
care factors, viewed obese patients more Statements
physicians negatively than average weight patients and
Ethical/professional
expressed limited expectations for successful
norms
treatment.

10. Hebl and Xu: Weighing the care: physicians’ reactions to the size
of a patient
Year Sample Methods Findings Limitations
2001 122 physicians Mock patient Physicians reported that they would spend Small sample size
evaluation form 31.1 minutes with average weight patients. In
and follow-up contrast, physicians reported that they would Geographically
homogenous sample
evaluation spend only 22.4 minutes with obese patients.
Physicians reviewing the files of obese Primarily male
patients were also more likely to report feeling
annoyed with the patient and attribute obesity
to behavioral factors

11.  Attribution of obesity to behavioral causes
connected to negative attitudes
 Barriers to discussions about weight and a sense of
discrimination persist
 Low expectations and self-efficacy
 Talking about weight management positively
correlated with patients actively trying to lose
weight

12.  Physician training on
obesity
 Clear
communication
 Diverse populations
 Unintended
treatment bias