LOndon – Most people either know someone or are personally impacted by obesity. Despite its severity and prevalence, obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) wasn’t recognized as a disease until 2013 by the American Medical Association. Years later, many still think the disease is related to lifestyle choices. Anti-obesity medications (AOMs) are often not discussed as an element of obesity treatment plans.
About the OBSERVE Study
People with obesity deserve access to comprehensive care, like other chronic and metabolic diseases. There’s a critical need for the healthcare community to broadly accept obesity as a treatable disease with effective pharmacological options. That’s why we initiated the OBSERVE study in collaboration with Cerner Enviza and leading key opinion leaders to better understand the underlying reasons for obesity care limitations.
OBSERVE is a nationwide U.S. study focused on understanding AOM use. It digs into the drivers and barriers that influence obesity care and treatment to uncover the core misperceptions about obesity care. Study participants include people living with obesity, healthcare providers (HCPs) and employers, who each play a unique role in influencing obesity care.
Results Revealed Underlying Biases, Lack of Understanding That Impact Care
Qualitative Phase
Bias and Misperception
Results of the qualitative research, which were unveiled in late 2021, revealed underlying patterns of bias and misperception across participant groups. Many people living with obesity who participated said they don’t identify themselves with the term “obesity” and those who do, tend to view it as a self-modifiable condition rather than a long-term disease.
Results also showed a pattern in self-blame among people living with obesity, with even those who are accepting of AOM use viewing it to further support their own lifestyle changes. HCPs also shared an opposing view. They consider obesity as a long-term disease, but many expressed hesitancy in prescribing AOMs because they see them as a short-term solution. HCPs had concerns that ranged from lack of safety and efficacy data on current treatments to limited understanding of obesity management overall.
With low prescribing rates among HCPs, employers perceived a low demand for AOMs. They tended to deprioritize coverage considerations for the medication when building benefits packages. This led to insufficient awareness of the impact of obesity and resulted in challenges with coverage and out-of-pocket costs for people who may benefit from AOM use. Many employers also expressed lack of understanding of AOMs overall and default to corporate wellness programs as solutions for obesity. With three of the most influential groups in obesity care showing biases, misperceptions and education gaps about AOMs, it’s clear that challenges in obesity care are vast and deeply rooted.
People with Obesityii
In 2022, Lilly revealed OBSERVE study results, which looked deeper at the perceptions of people with obesity, both toward the disease itself and potential treatments, including AOMs.
The next phase of results reiterated that two-thirds of participants living with obesity don’t categorize their weight as “obese.” Only half believe obesity is a disease. But despite scientific evidence, a small number of participants in viewed obesity as the primary result of body dysfunction.
Eighty-six percent of participants agreed that obesity impacts long-term health and increases the chance of developing other health problems like physical function (82%) and emotional well-being (77%). But only 45% felt it requires treatment by a healthcare provider.
We also looked closer at how people living with obesity viewed treatment options. When participants were asked about AOMs, almost three-quarters believed that lifestyle and behavioral changes are the best options for long-term weight loss, with 64% unaware of prescription AOMs that could help manage weight.
While most people living with obesity seem to understand the seriousness of the disease, many still believe they can battle the disease single-handedly or are unaware or don’t approve of treatment options that can help.
Quantitative Phase
Health Care Provider Perspectives
The quantitative phase of the OBSERVE study includes findings from a survey of HCPs conducted from May-December 2022. The survey deepens our understanding of their perceptions of obesity, AOMs and barriers to AOM utilization.
While 58% of HCPs agreed obesity is a primary result of lifestyle choices, approximately two-thirds of those surveyed also said obesity requires treatment by an HCP. Additionally, nearly all HCPs shared the belief that obesity increases the chances of developing other health problems in the future (94%) and obesity has a significant impact on mental health and/or emotional well-being (93%).
HCPs agreed that AOMs help patients feel more in control of their health (71%) and they see AOMs as a way to help kick start a patient in their weight loss efforts (73%), but also had concerns about their use as well.
The majority of HCPs believed AOMs are an appropriate treatment for obesity when used in conjunction with diet and exercise (72%), but that insurance does not adequately cover their cost (71%). Many also believed sustained weight loss will still require a lifestyle change and that there is a need for more effective AOM options.
Source: www.lilly.com/news/