Study reveals deficiencies in obesity management training among Internal Medicine residents
People living with obesity often receive suboptimal care from physicians. This may stem from a lack of education in weight management and negative attitudes toward obesity.
Internal Medicine (IM) residency programmes represent an opportune setting to address these issues, yet recent literature on this topic is scarce.
A cross-sectional survey conducted in 2020 across two IM programmes in Baltimore MD, published in our journal 'Obesity Science & Practice', aimed to assess residents' attitudes toward obesity as a disease, people living with obesity, and obesity treatment. The survey gathered responses from 42 residents, predominantly women, across all three years of training.
Residents displayed high agreement on statements regarding obesity as a chronic disease and its association with serious medical conditions. They also showed overall positive attitudes toward people living with obesity. However, residents expressed negative sentiments regarding their success in helping patients lose weight, indicating a need for improved self-efficacy in obesity treatment.
The study suggests a potential positive shift in residents' attitudes toward people living with obesity, possibly influenced by efforts to reduce weight bias and increased recognition of obesity as a chronic disease. However, gaps remain in residents' confidence in obesity treatment, pointing to the necessity of targeted educational interventions.
The findings highlight the importance of addressing attitudes toward obesity in medical training to ensure better care for individuals living with obesity. Residency programmes offer an ideal platform for educating future physicians on obesity as a disease and enhancing their skills in obesity management.
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The study acknowledges limitations such as a small sample size and potential selection bias. Future research could involve larger, more diverse samples across multiple residency programmes to provide a more comprehensive understanding of residents' attitudes toward obesity.
While internal medicine residents exhibit positive attitudes toward obesity as a disease and people living with obesity, there is room for improvement in their confidence in obesity treatment. Targeted educational efforts in residency programmes can help bridge this gap and equip future physicians with the necessary skills to provide effective care for individuals living with obesity.
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