Publicación

09 de Octubre 2023

Perceptions, Attitudes, and Barriers to Obesity Care in Mexico: Data From the ACTION-IO Study

Objective: The Awareness, Care, and Treatment in Obesity Management–International Observation (ACTION-IO) study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifierNCT03584191) aimed to identify perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, andbarriers to effective obesity care in people with obesity (PwO) and healthcare professionals (HCPs). This study presents the results from Mexico.Methods: An online survey was conducted. In Mexico, eligible PwO were≥18 years of age with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 based on self-reported he

Objective: The Awareness, Care, and Treatment in Obesity Management–
International Observation (ACTION-IO) study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier
NCT03584191) aimed to identify perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and
barriers to effective obesity care in people with obesity (PwO) and health
care professionals (HCPs). This study presents the results from Mexico.

Methods: An online survey was conducted. In Mexico, eligible PwO were
≥18 years of age with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 based on self-reported height and
weight. Eligible HCPs had direct patient care.

Results: The survey was completed by 2,000 PwO and 400 HCPs in
Mexico. Many PwO (71%) and HCPs (94%) categorized obesity as a
chronic disease. Sixty-three percent of PwO felt motivated to lose weight,
but many HCPs perceived that PwO were not interested in losing weight
(76%) or motivated to lose weight (69%). Lack of financial means to support
weight-loss efforts was a barrier for PwO (34%) to discussing weight
with HCPs. Sixty-five percent of PwO had discussed weight with HCPs in
the past 5 years. PwO (80%) and HCPs (89%) considered lack of exercise
as the main barrier to weight loss. Few PwO (34%) had successfully lost
≥5% of their body mass over the past 3 years.

Conclusions: This ACTION-IO study in Mexico identified discrepancies
in the perceptions of PwO and HCPs, highlighting opportunities for further
education and patient-centered approaches.

Obesity (2021) 29, 317-326.