ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Primary health care [PHC] physicians are foremost to confront childhood and adolescent obesity.Our objective was to evaluate PHC Physicians perspectives for managing overweight/obesity in children and adolescents
Methods: PHC services from eight public hospitals in Riyadh participated. A self-administered tool maintaining anonymity evaluated facilitators and barriers for managing overweight/obese children and adolescent patients. Physicians who 'always' recommended weight management for an overweight / obese patient during past year, by involving patient, parents, and others were classified as having positive and appropriate practice
Results: Of the 58 respondents, 51.7% had appropriate practices. Lack of patient motivation [82.2%], and parental involvement [70.7%] were the major barriers. Physicians with appropriate practices differed in perspectives from those with less appropriate practices by attending continued education forums [p<0.026], referring patients to sub-specialty [p< 0.041], clinical knowledge [p<0.039], convinced on interventions [p<0.017], low concern for precipitating eating disorders [p<0.019], comfortable in examining obese patients [p<0.020], and considered patient's readiness for weight change [p<0.007]
Conclusion: Efforts are needed to equip PHC physicians in managing overweight and obesity in Saudi children and adolescents