Breaking Barriers in Obesity Care - Scaling a Primary Care Weight Management Program Statewide

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Obesity Medicine
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Obesity rates in North Carolina exceed national averages, particularly in rural areas.
• Limited access to obesity care is a significant barrier, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations.
• UNC Health initiated a primary care-based weight management program in 2019 to address these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the statewide scaling of a primary care-based weight management program.
• To address obesity in both adult and pediatric populations across North Carolina.
• To evaluate the program's clinical success, financial sustainability, and barrier elimination.

Main Methods:

• The program utilizes primary care clinicians certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
• Interventions include nutritional counseling and prescription of anti-obesity medications, including GLP-1s.
• Program scaled from 3 physicians in 3 counties (2019) to 17 clinicians in 9 counties (2025).

Main Results:

• Over 3000 patients were cumulatively cared for between dedicated sessions and usual primary care.
• Over 50% of patients attending at least four visits achieved 5% weight loss.
• Over 33% of patients attending at least four visits achieved 10% weight loss.

Conclusions:

• The program successfully scaled statewide, providing accessible, evidence-based weight management.
• It demonstrates clinical effectiveness and financial sustainability for the health system.
• The initiative effectively reduces barriers to obesity care for impacted populations.