Obesity education for nurse practitioners: perspectives from nurse practitioner faculty

The purpose of the study was to investigate curriculum content and teaching practices about obesity in graduate nursing programs in the United States.

A survey of 1202 faculty members teaching in nurse practitioner (NP) programs was conducted using an investigator-created instrument with items based on the National Institutes of Health Obesity Education Initiative guidelines. Objective items were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistics, and the open-ended questions were analyzed using content analysis.

NP faculty emphasized existing clinical practice guidelines, but revealed a large disparity between what is emphasized in schools of nursing and the state of the science regarding obesity etiology and management. Faculty place a priority on teaching obesity as a key factor in the development of comorbidities, and weight loss as a means of treating these comorbidities. Teaching about the pathophysiology of obesity, management of bariatric surgery patients, and pharmacologic therapy are de-emphasized. Four main themes about obesity teaching practices were identified from subjects' comments to open-ended items.

Additional education and support are needed for faculty to teach about obesity in a way that advances the care of obese patients based on emerging scientific principles.