Anti-obesity treatment preferences of healthcare providers and people living with obesity: A survey-based study

A cross-sectional, online survey was conducted in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the United States (14 November-22 December 2022) to investigate preferences for anti-obesity medication (AOM) among people with obesity (PwO) and healthcare providers (HCPs). Eligibility: Adult PwO who self-defined their body type as overweight/obese, were trying to lose weight and had BMI ≥30.0 or 27.0-29.9 kg/m² with ≥1 obesity-related complication; HCPs had to see ≥30 PwO in a typical month and be a decision-maker regarding their weight loss. The survey included 2500 PwO and 500 HCPs. Exercise (96%) and diet (90%) were the most common weight management methods; AOM use was low (8%). Key barriers to use of prescribed AOMs among PwO were not wanting to take AOM (34%), side effects concerns (33%), and not trusting AOM (26%). Most HCPs (79%) had prescribed/recommended AOMs. Efficacy was the most common reason for preferring one of the shown product profiles among PwO (60%) and HCPs (86%); improving cardiovascular risk was also important to 95% of HCPs when deciding which AOM to prescribe. AOM preference is largely driven by efficacy. Increasing knowledge could help to address barriers to AOM use and improve outcomes for PwO.