Women's Perceptions Regarding Obesity and Comorbidities and Provider Interaction

To assess women's perceptions of current body mass index (BMI) category, evaluate their knowledge of medical and surgical conditions associated with obesity, and assess their previous exposure to counseling on obesity.

Questionnaire-based survey.

Gynecology clinics in a large midwestern city.

Non-pregnant women age 18 to 65 years.

Descriptive design with distribution of anonymous questionnaires pertaining to demographics, current medical conditions, perceived weight, medical conditions associated with obesity, surgical complications from obesity, and previous weight loss counseling. All data were analyzed using chi-squared tests, and statistical significance was set at a p value of <.05.

The majority of the sample (65%) was overweight or obese, and 44% of participants underestimated their BMI categories. The relationship of perceived versus actual BMI differed significantly by race (p < .001), income (p < .05), and education (p < .05); African American women and women with less education tended to underestimate their BMI categories. Increasing actual BMI was inversely correlated with the ability to identify obesity as a risk factor for medical conditions (p < .01). Only 43% of participants discussed their weight or related concerns with medical professionals.

A significant number of participants were unaware of their BMI status as well as the relationship between obesity and other comorbidities. Counseling and patient education efforts by health care providers are essential.