Monash University study finds GPs not comfortable talking about weight with patients

GPs want to do the right thing by their patients, but many still find this “taboo” topic a difficult one to navigate.

GPs can find it difficult to have conversations about weight.

Talking to patients about their weight remains an uncomfortable topic for some GPs, who admit in new research to a little weight bias and even avoiding the subject altogether.

Senior author Gemma Sharp said it also found doctors and other health professionals want to do the right thing by their patients, but many felt they didn’t have the tools to start difficult weight conversations.

Professor Gemma Sharp says it has become a bit of a taboo to talk about weight. Picture: Ben Searcy

Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Monash University and in the School of Psychology at the University of Queensland, she said the research was ultimately a good news story.

“It’s become a bit of a taboo to talk about weight,” she said. “But we found health professionals really want to talk about it in an inclusive and sensitive manner.”

She said the study found a growing acceptance of this holistic approach that focuses on promoting overall health and wellness rather than a singular focus on weight.

The study surveyed 112 doctors and trainees, mainly women, across Australia and showed a series of simulated consultations between a GP and a higher weight patient.

The authors found that some doctors and trainees recommended the topic of weight be avoided unless it was explicitly initiated by patients.

Some doctors and trainees in the study recommended the topic of weight be avoided unless it was explicitly initiated by patients.

Prof Sharp said the field of obesity management had changed “radically” in recent years because of the availability of weight loss medications.

“So I think while we need training in medical and health professional schools, there’s ongoing training needed as well,” she said.

“If you’d asked doctors about this in the past, the focus would have been more on diet and exercise as there weren’t as many options available.

“More people are now coming to primary care professionals and they know that these medications are available.”

Prof Sharp said it was also important for doctors to know what patients had already tried to manage their weight and health.

Weight needs to be discussed in relation to standard health questions that doctors are already asking.

“This also helps with the best direction possible, because for example prescribing unfortunately really expensive medications is not going to be possible for a lot of people, or prescribing a personal trainer for someone who can barely afford groceries.”

She said GPs already have to fit a lot into a consultation, but weight management was not a “one and done” conversation.

“And it’s not that weight needs to be a dedicated consult, it actually needs to be discussed in relation to all these standard health questions that doctors are already asking. I think patients want to talk to their doctor about concerns they may have with their weight in a respectful and collaborative manner.”

The research, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, reported there was a responsibility for primary care professionals to address the health needs of patients, which may require discussing weight management.

Originally published as Monash University study finds GPs not comfortable talking about weight with patients