[Obesity in Danish hospitals--attitudes in the year 2000]

The aim was to investigate the attitudes towards obesity of those responsible for the treatment at Danish hospitals.

A questionnaire was sent to the heads of departments of internal medicine at all Danish hospitals where such exist (n = 64).

Eighty-nine per cent of the questionnaires were answered. Sixteen per cent believed that obesity is a self-imposed, life-style disease, and 56% answered "perhaps". 66% believed that obesity is a chronic condition or disease, and 32% thought that obese patients should be followed up life-long. Most believed that diseases would be prevented or improved, if obesity were treated, and 72% believed that it was possible to treat obesity. Thirty-five percent answered "perhaps" to whether it is worth the effort to treat obesity, as weight loss seldom lasts in the long term, and 25% answered "perhaps" to whether loss of weight in the obese incurs health risk. Fifty per cent believed that more resources were needed for the treatment of obesity, and that research in obesity should be given more attention, whereas only a few answered in the negative (6-9%). Thirty-three per cent believed that there was a need for public obesity clinics. Only 15% thought that Danish doctors are sufficiently trained to treat obesity, and only 9% answered "no" to whether better treatment of obesity required altered attitudes to obesity among Danish health care personnel.

The heads of departments of internal medicine at Danish hospitals had different attitudes to obesity, but most believed that there is a need for altered attitudes, information, and training of Danish doctors and other health care personnel in the treatment of obesity.