Session Information
Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Session Title: Epidemiology and Public Health Poster III: Rheumatic Disease Risk and Outcomes
Session Type: ACR Poster Session C
Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM
Background/Purpose:
Most clinical practice guidelines for the management of osteoarthritis recommend weight loss for adults with arthritis who are overweight or obese. A health care provider’s (HCP) advice for weight loss is strongly associated with weight loss attempts. The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence and characteristics of adults with arthritis reporting a HCP’s advice to lose weight among overweight and obese adults with arthritis.
Methods:
The National Health Interview Survey, conducted annually, targets the civilian, non-institutionalized population and gathers data on a variety of health topics. We used data from 2014 (sample size 36,697). Doctor-diagnosed arthritis was defined as a ‘yes’ to: “Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health care professional that you have arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus or fibromyalgia?” HCP advice for weight loss was defined as a ‘yes’ response to “Has a doctor or other health professional EVER suggested losing weight to help your arthritis or joint symptoms?” Age-standardized prevalence (%) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of HCP advice for weight loss was calculated using statistical weights to account for the complex survey design. Prevalence was calculated by sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, and education) and health-related characteristics (arthritis-related activity limitation (AAAL), self-rated health (excellent/very good, good, fair/poor), body mass index (BMI; 25.0-<30 overweight and 30.0+ obese), smoking status (current, former, never), physical activity level (inactive, insufficient, meets recommendations) and having a primary care provider (yes, no). Low rates of HCP advice for weight loss was defined as < 45%.
Results:
Age-standardized prevalence of HCP advice for weight loss among overweight/obese adults with arthritis was 45.8% (CI 43.3-48.2%). Subgroups with low rates of HCP advice for weight loss included males (41.2%), Non-Hispanic Others (25.6%), < high school education (41.9%), university degree (44.7%), work status ‘other’ (42.4%), none to mild joint pain (41.0%), excellent/very good health (37.9%), current smokers (40.4%) and those meeting physical activity recommendations (42.9%). Prevalence rates of HCP advice for weight loss increased as overweight/obesity increased (Figure). Subgroups with the highest rates (>55.0%) were extreme obesity (80.3%), Obese Class II (65.3%), Non-Hispanic Asian (57.6%), unable to work/disabled (55.6%), and those with fair/poor health (55.0%).
Conclusion:
Less than half of overweight/obese adults with arthritis report having been advised by a health care provider to lose weight. Additional health care professional education/training and system improvements like electronic reminders may help increase rates of recommended provider advice and weight loss attempts.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Hootman JM, Cisternas MG, Murphy L, Brady TJ. Health Care Provider Advice for Weight Loss Among US Adults with Arthritis, National Health Interview Survey, 2014 [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017; 69 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/health-care-provider-advice-for-weight-loss-among-us-adults-with-arthritis-national-health-interview-survey-2014/. Accessed February 3, 2023.« Back to 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting
ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/health-care-provider-advice-for-weight-loss-among-us-adults-with-arthritis-national-health-interview-survey-2014/