Obesity Canada Infographic

A Time for
ACTION ON
OBESITY
ce
scien
guid
eline
s
evidence e
The Awareness, Care, and Treatment in Obesity MaNagement blamm
isinfor
matio
(ACTION) Study surveyed attitudes toward obesity treatment n
from three key demographics: people living with obesity (PwO), shame bias
healthcare providers (HCPs) and employers. Results were
published in the journal Clinical Obesity in October 2019.*
What are the implications of these results for clinical

practice, employers and for individuals living with obesity?
SUMMARY:
Total respondents:
2,545 + +
Adult PwO HCPs Employers
2,000 395 150

(self-reported (physicians and allied (offering health insurance
BMI >30 kg/m2) healthcare professionals to >20 employees)
who manage PwO)
FINDING
#1 Poorly informed beliefs about the causes and treatments for obesity
are preventing persons living with obesity from accessing
evidence-based care in the health system.
94% of HCPs think that obesity is

63% 50%
a serious chronic disease on
par with stroke, depression
and others yet many believe diet and exercise are effective treatments
Only 47% of PwO, 52%

of HCPs and 66%
of employers believe the healthcare system is a good
resource for obesity management
FINDING
#2 Significant barriers to obesity care result from important differences

in how each of the three surveyed groups view obesity and their
role in addressing it.
58% 49%
82% of PwO acknowledged that
they are actively trying to yet HCPs and employers believe that PwO
self-manage their obesity are not motivated to manage their disease
74% of PwO 78% of HCPs Only 50% of

think managing said they had a employers thought
their obesity is their responsibility to they are an
own responsibility support persons important partner
and do not believe living with obesity in obesity
HCPs can help them to manage their management
disease
FINDING
#3 Biased beliefs about obesity causes and treatments result in disconnects

between healthcare professionals and persons living with obesity.
72% of HCPs said they discussed weight

management in their interactions with PwO
but only 50% of PwO
said their HCPs had done so
48%
Fewer than half of PwO have
received an official diagnosis from
an HCP
FINDING
#4 Employers don’t fully understand their obesity-related health

benefits, and those benefits likely don’t help persons with obesity
manage their disease.
77%
of employers thought their
wellness programs
86% of employers said they
place a high priority on
contributed to effective including coverage for
obesity management obesity treatments
while only but according to the 2019 Report Card on Access
32%
of PwO agreed
to Obesity Treatments for Adults in Canada only
8.8% of Canadians’ benefit plans covered

anti-obesity medications
FINDING
#5 Biased beliefs about obesity are common among healthcare professionals

and employers. This prevents persons living with obesity from accessing
meaningful treatment and support for their disease.
Employers:
Believe that weight of employees
is completely within employee's control (47%)
and that PwO could manage their weight if they
HCPs:
Believe that PwO are not
set their mind to it(63%) .
motivated to manage
their own weight
PwO:
(72%) Do not believe that Canadian society or
and demonstrate high healthcare system support their needs (83%). The
levels of weight bias majority of persons living with obesity (82%) are
(i.e., negative personal managing their disease on their own and do not
attitudes and views about believe the healthcare system has a responsibility
obesity and people to help them. This demonstrates a high level of
with obesity). internalized weight bias (i.e., the extent to which
individuals living with obesity endorse negative
weight-biased beliefs about themselves).
ACTION Obesity Canada makes several

ITEMS recommendations for each of the three
survey groups, chief among them:
Learn evidence about obesity causes and treatments and
understand that obesity management is a lifelong process
that requires medical intervention.
PwO Self-advocate for access to evidence-based treatments

and supports with Obesity Canada’s online resources.
Treat obesity as a complex heterogenous chronic disease.

Treatment options need to be individualized.
Learn more about current, evidence-based approaches to treating

HCPs obesity as a chronic disease using available treatments (new
Clinical Practice Guidelines available in 2020).
Include obesity in training program curricula for health

professionals.
Treat obesity as a chronic disease and move

it out of the lifestyle category within health
benefit plans.
Employers Offer meaningful obesity services/coverage
that move beyond healthy eating and
exercise programs.
* The ACTION Study in Canada is part of a larger study conducted

in 12 other countries, and was sponsored by Novo Nordisk.
Results of the ACTION Study in Canada were published in
Clinical Obesity. 2019 Oct;9(5):e12329.
Obesity Canada gratefully acknowledges financial support from

Novo Nordisk Canada for the development of this report.
For Obesity Canada’s

full ACTION report and
recommendations, visit:
www.obesitycanada.ca/ACTION

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A Time for

What are the implications of these results for clinical

2,000 395 150

94% of HCPs think that obesity is

Only 47% of PwO, 52%

#2 Significant barriers to obesity care result from important differences

74% of PwO 78% of HCPs Only 50% of

#3 Biased beliefs about obesity causes and treatments result in disconnects

72% of HCPs said they discussed weight

#4 Employers don’t fully understand their obesity-related health

while only but according to the 2019 Report Card on Access

8.8% of Canadians’ benefit plans covered

#5 Biased beliefs about obesity are common among healthcare professionals

ACTION Obesity Canada makes several

PwO Self-advocate for access to evidence-based treatments

Treat obesity as a complex heterogenous chronic disease.

Learn more about current, evidence-based approaches to treating

Include obesity in training program curricula for health

Treat obesity as a chronic disease and move

* The ACTION Study in Canada is part of a larger study conducted

Obesity Canada gratefully acknowledges financial support from

For Obesity Canada’s

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