The Relationship between Body Weight and Primary Healthcare Visits

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Over 40% of U.S. adults have obesity, raising concerns for population health and well-being.
• Primary care providers are essential for managing chronic conditions like obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between obesity and annual primary care visits in the U.S.
• To examine how weight status influences visits to general physicians and gynecologists.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of National Health Interview Survey data (2010-2018).
• Examined annual physician visits based on weight categories (obesity, overweight, normal weight).

Main Results:

• Obesity and overweight are positively associated with annual physician visits for both men and women.
• Men with class II and III obesity had higher odds of annual visits than women.
• Women with obesity had more general physician visits but fewer gynecological visits compared to normal-weight women.

Conclusions:

• Obesity positively influences general physician utilization but negatively impacts gynecological care access for women.
• Class III obesity in women is particularly associated with reduced gynecological visits, highlighting a critical gap in care.