Perceptions, attitudes and barriers to obesity management: Japanese data from the ACTION-IO study

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Public health
• Obesity management

Background:

• Rising obesity prevalence in Japan presents a significant unmet medical need.
• The Awareness, Care and Treatment in Obesity MaNagement - International Observation (ACTION-IO) study aimed to understand perceptions and barriers in obesity care.
• Obesity is increasingly recognized as a complex, chronic disease requiring comprehensive management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify perceptions, attitudes, and barriers to obesity care among people with obesity (PwO) and healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Japan.
• To assess the current state of obesity management and identify areas for improvement in patient and provider engagement.
• To inform strategies for enhancing obesity care and patient outcomes in the Japanese context.

Main Methods:

• An online, cross-sectional survey was conducted across 11 countries, including a substantial dataset from Japan.
• The survey collected data from 2,001 PwO and 302 HCPs in Japan.
• Data analysis focused on comparing perceptions, reported behaviors, and identified barriers related to obesity and its management.

Main Results:

• A significant disparity exists in the perception of obesity as a chronic disease, with fewer PwO (58%) than HCPs (85%) holding this view.
• PwO often perceive weight loss as a personal responsibility, delaying seeking professional support for an average of 6 years.
• HCPs reported patient motivation (68%) and disinterest (61%) as key barriers, though obesity specialists were more optimistic about patient motivation (37%) than non-specialists (22%).

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a critical need to enhance awareness regarding the pathophysiology and clinical management of obesity among both PwO and HCPs in Japan.
• Positive patient experiences following weight loss discussions suggest HCPs should initiate these conversations earlier to prevent obesity-related complications.
• Proactive and empathetic communication by HCPs can foster better patient engagement and improve the effectiveness of obesity management strategies.