Current status, perceptions, and barriers regarding weight loss approaches in China

Area of Science:

• Obesity management
• Clinical practice research
• Pharmacotherapy in obesity

Background:

• Weight management in China involves self-care and clinical interventions.
• Understanding patient and physician perspectives is crucial for effective obesity treatment.
• Limited availability of approved anti-obesity medications (AOMs) in China impacts management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate current weight loss management strategies in China.
• To identify barriers to successful weight management for people with obesity (PwO).
• To explore physician and patient expectations regarding anti-obesity medications (AOMs).

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey of 100 physicians and 801 people with obesity (PwO) in Chinese clinical practice (April-July 2022).
• Data collected on weight management attempts, physician treatment approaches, and attitudes towards anti-obesity medications (AOMs).
• Inclusion criteria: physicians managing PwO and PwO aged ≥18 years in weight management programs or with BMI ≥28 kg/m².

Main Results:

• Most PwO attempted self-management (diet 87%, exercise 84%) before clinical care; compliance with lifestyle interventions was low (19%).
• Physicians primarily used diet (82%) and exercise (82%) as first-line treatments, with 50% using drug approaches.
• Physicians initiated anti-obesity medications (AOMs) mainly due to diet/exercise failure (58%), with many feeling current options were restricted and desiring improved efficacy and safety.

Conclusions:

• Self-management is common, but lifestyle interventions show low compliance in Chinese clinical practice.
• Physicians and PwO express a need for improved anti-obesity medications (AOMs) with better efficacy and safety profiles.
• The absence of approved prescription-only AOMs in China during the study period highlights a significant treatment gap.