The ACTION Study
The first multidisciplinary study to explore the barriers and perspectives in the sphere of obesity care
Learn how the results of the ACTION study can shift the way you see and treat obesity
ACTION study explores attitude and behaviors about obesity
Obesity is recognized by leading health organizations, including the American Medical Association and the World Health Organization, as a chronic disease.1-5 Associated with decreased life expectancy and many comorbidities, obesity requires a long-term and comprehensive management approach to help people with the disease achieve and maintain successful weight loss.6,7
However, many people with obesity do not receive optimal medical care and support, often due to multiple barriers that have been identified in prior research.8,9
The ACTION Study is the first to explore these barriers and perspectives on obesity among three important groups in the sphere of obesity care: people with obesity, health care professionals, and employers. Each of these groups plays an important role in the care and support of people with obesity.
Three phases of the ACTION study
Learn how the results of the ACTION study can shift the way you see and treat obesity
ACTION study finds few people with obesity seek and receive long-term obesity care10
Despite changing attitudes towards obesity and its increasing recognition as a chronic, serious, and progressive disease, many barriers to effective care remain. These barriers are reflected in the insufficient interaction between patients and health care professionals relating to dialogue and treatment of obesity.
Conversations about weight are insufficient10
The ACTION Study identifies 5 key barriers to obesity care10
The ACTION Study explored attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors among all three groups that are preventing effective and comprehensive obesity care.
1. Challenges to maintaining weight loss
People with obesity engage in several serious weight loss attempts, but only a few are able to maintain the achieved weight loss
2. Reluctance to seek help
Despite recognition of obesity as a disease, most people with obesity consider weight loss to be completely their own responsibility, which may prevent them from seeking help from their health care professional
3. Inadequate diagnosis
Many people with obesity have not received a formal diagnosis of obesity
4. Insufficient dialogue and follow-up
The patient-provider dialogue about weight management is insufficient with few follow-up visits
5. Misaligned perceptions of wellness offerings
Employer wellness programs are not meeting the needs of people with obesity
Learn how the results of the ACTION study can shift the way you see and treat obesity
Resources about the ACTION Study
Below you will find relevant educational and shareable resources on the ACTION Study and its findings, including study publications, fact sheets, and infographics. Additional resources can be found at ACTIONStudy.com.
ACTION Study Fact Sheet
Key findings of the ACTION Study are revealed in this simple one-page fact sheet, designed to help you be a part of the solution to improve obesity care
ACTION Study publications—resources for HCPs
ACTION Study poster presented at Overcoming Obesity 2018
This poster highlights the differences in attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors regarding obesity management among PCPs and weight-loss specialists
ACTION Study abstract presented at ObesityWeek 2016
This presentation highlights divergent perceptions and attitudes among people with obesity, health care professionals, and employers and the resulting barriers to effective obesity management
ACTION Study poster presented at ObesityWeek 2017
This poster highlights the importance of good dialogue between health care professionals and people with obesity
ACTION Study poster presented at ObesityWeek 2016
This poster provides an overview of study results on insights and perceptions of obesity management among people with obesity
ACTION Study poster presented at ObesityWeek 2017
This poster provides an overview of study results on health-related quality of life in subgroups of people with obesity in the US
ACTION Study poster presented at ObesityWeek 2015
This poster provides an overview of ACTION Study qualitative research results
ACTION Study poster presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 2017 Annual Meeting
This poster overviews the finding that more older people with obesity than younger ones reported that a specific medical event greatly influenced their desire to manage their weight
Obesity education for HCPs
Barriers to Effective Obesity Care
Highlights of the ACTION Study: These pages summarize key results of the ACTION Study and highlight the barriers to effective obesity care
ACTION Study HCPs Toolkit
A collection of educational materials designed to provide you with information to promote a healthy dialogue with your patients about the disease of obesity. This toolkit includes a sample newsletter, ACTION study fact sheet, and obesity infographics
ACTION Study resources for the media
Interested in learning more about the ACTION Study? Please call the media contacts listed to coordinate an interview with a member of the steering committee, and feel free to download the ACTION Study media resource available here.
Media contacts:
Liz Skrbkova (USA)
LZSK@novonordisk.com
Jakob Jakobsen (Global)
JAJK@novonordisk.com
ACTION Study Backgrounder
This backgrounder includes details on the ACTION Study objectives, design, participants, and enrollment criteria
Check out some frequently asked questions about obesity
Check out the ACTION website
References
1. American Medical Association House of Delegates. Recognition of obesity as a disease. Resolution 420 (A-13). http://www.npr.org/documents/2013/jun/ama-resolution-obesity.pdf. Received May 15, 2013. Accessed October 17, 2016.
2. World Health Organization. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 2000;894:1-253.
3. Bray GA, Kim KK, Wilding JPH. Obesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation. Obes Rev. May 2017.
4. Mechanick JI, Garber AJ, Handelsman Y, Garvey WT. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists’ position statement on obesity and obesity medicine. Endocr Pract. 2012;18(5):642-648.
5. McKinney L. Diagnosis and Management of Obesity. American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/patient_care/fitness/obesity-diagnosis-management.pdf. Accessed December 20, 2017.
6. Jensen MD, Ryan DH, Apovian CM, et al. American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines; Obesity Society. 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS guideline for the management of overweight and obesity in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and The Obesity Society. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;63(25ptB):2985-3023.
7. Guh DP, Zhang W, Bansback N, et al. The incidence of co-morbidities related to obesity and overweight: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2009;9:88.
8. Puhl RM, Huer CA. Obesity stigma: important considerations for public health. Am J Pub Health. 2010;100(6)1019-1028.
9. Ruelaz AR, Diefenbach P, Simon B, Lando A, Arterburn D, Shekelle PG. Perceived barriers to weight management in primary care – perspectives of patients and providers. Gen Intern Med. 2007;22:518-522.
10. Kaplan LM, Golden A, Jinnett K, et al. Perceptions of barriers to effective obesity care: results from the National ACTION Study. Obesity. 2018;26(1):61-69.
