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OBJECTIVE: Obesity-related problems can now be managed with effective nutritional therapy, pharmacotherapy, and surgeries that achieve >10% weight loss. Assessing patient preferences, treatment choices, and factors affecting patients can improve treatment compliance and efficacy. Our aim was to identify factors affecting patient preference and subsequent choice of pharmacotherapy among those seeking treatment for obesity-related disorders. METHODS: A participatory action study using purposeful sampling recruited 33 patients with obesity complications. They were referred to specialist clinics in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. Sixteen males and seventeen females aged 18-70 years, with BMI > 35 kg/m2 were recruited. Before the interview, participants watched a 60-minute video explaining nutritional therapy, pharmacotherapy, and surgery in equipoise. Data were collected in semi-structured interviews; Reflective thematic analysis was used. This sub study focuses only on patients who expressed specific attitudes (positive or negative) towards pharmacotherapy. RESULTS: Ten (30%) patients expressed a view on pharmacotherapy. Eight (24%) patients chose pharmacotherapy alone, whereas two (6%) patients chose pharmacotherapy combined with nutritional therapy. In this sub study focusing on pharmacotherapy, five themes were identified related to choosing whether or not to take medication: (1) attitudes towards pharmacotherapy, (2) attitudes toward size of obesity and its complications, (3) weighing the benefits and risks of treatment, (4) knowledge and reassurance of health professionals, and (5) costs associated with drug therapy. CONCLUSION: The primary concerns regarding pharmacotherapy for intentional weight loss were efficacy, side effects, lifelong dosing, pharmacokinetics, and cost. Providing access to information about all the pharmacotherapies and the benefits is likely to result in greater penetrance of treatment.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for obesity. However, not all patients have similar weight loss following surgery and many researchers have attributed this to different pre-operative psychological, eating behavior, or quality-of-life factors. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are any differences in these factors between patients electing to have bariatric surgery compared to less invasive non-surgical weight loss treatments, between patients choosing a particular bariatric surgery procedure, and to identify whether these factors predict weight loss after bariatric surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective study of 90 patients undergoing gastric bypass, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, or adjustable gastric banding and 36 patients undergoing pharmacotherapy or lifestyle interventions. All patients completed seven multi-factorial psychological, eating behavior, and quality-of-life questionnaires prior to choosing their weight loss treatment. Questionnaire scores, baseline body mass index, and percent weight loss at 1 year after surgical interventions were recorded. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Surgical patients were younger, had a higher body mass index, and obesity had a higher impact on their quality of life than on non-surgical patients, but they did not differ in the majority of eating behavior and psychological parameters studied. Patients opting for adjustable gastric banding surgery were more anxious, depressed, and had more problems with energy levels than those choosing vertical sleeve gastrectomy, and more work problems compared to those undergoing gastric bypass. Weight loss after bariatric surgery was predicted by pre-operative scores of dietary restraint, disinhibition, and pre-surgery energy levels. The results of this study generate a number of hypotheses that can be explored in future studies and accelerate the development of personalized weight loss treatments.