Weight-biased attitudes about pediatric patients with obesity in Dutch healthcare professionals from seven different professions

Abstract

Little is known about the prevalence of negative weight-biased attitudes among Dutch healthcare professionals (HCPs) when treating children and adolescents with obesity and whether interdisciplinary differences are present. Accordingly, we asked Dutch HCPs that treat pediatric patients with obesity to complete a validated 22-item self-report questionnaire about their weight-biased attitudes. In total, 555 HCPs participated from seven different disciplines: 41 general practitioners (GPs), 40 pediatricians, 132 youth healthcare physicians, 223 youth healthcare nurses, 40 physiotherapists, 40 dieticians, and 39 mental health professionals. HCPs from all disciplines reported to experience negative weight-biased attitudes among themselves. Pediatricians and GPs scored highest on negative weight-biased attitudes, including frustrations in treating children with obesity, and feeling less confident and prepared to treat children with obesity. Dieticians scored the least negative weight-biased attitudes. Participants from all groups perceived weight bias expressed by their colleagues, toward children with obesity. These findings are comparable to results reported by adult HCPs from other countries. Interdisciplinary differences were found and underscore the need for more research on contributing factors that impact explicit weight bias among pediatric HCPs.

Special considerations for the adolescent with obesity: An obesity medicine association (OMA) clinical practice statement (CPS) 2024

“…Families of adolescents with SHCN have had increased interactions with the healthcare system over time. Increased interaction may lead to significant factors that can impact the healthcare team and the family (both positively and negatively) when addressing the healthcare needs related to overweight and obesity [ 31 ].…”

Practical guidelines for eating disorder risk mitigation in patients undergoing obesity treatment for the pediatric provider

“…Providing: larger-sized and higher weight-bearing chairs, exam tables, and scales, and appropriately-sized patient gowns and other equipment such as blood pressure cuffs are helpful steps [60 ▪ ]. Healthcare providers in general have antifat bias that can contribute to stigma that larger-bodied patients experience [61,62 ▪ ]. Pediatric providers can identify their own weight biases through validated assessment tools such as the Implicit Association Test [63].…”