Disparities in Access and Quality of Obesity Care

Obesity is a chronic disease and a significant public health threat predicated on complex genetic, psychological, and environmental factors. Individuals with higher body mass index are more likely to avoid health care due to weight stigma. Disparities in obesity care disproportionately impact racial...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inGastroenterology clinics of North America Vol. 52; no. 2; p. 429
Main Authors Washington, Tiffani Bell, Johnson, Veronica R, Kendrick, Karla, Ibrahim, Awab Ali, Tu, Lucy, Sun, Kristen, Stanford, Fatima Cody
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.06.2023
Subjects
Body Mass Index
Chronic Disease
Delivery of Health Care
Humans
Obesity - therapy
Socioeconomic Factors
United States
United States
Quality obesity care
Health equity
Access to care
Disparities
Stigma
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Summary:Obesity is a chronic disease and a significant public health threat predicated on complex genetic, psychological, and environmental factors. Individuals with higher body mass index are more likely to avoid health care due to weight stigma. Disparities in obesity care disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minorities. In addition to this unequal disease burden, access to obesity treatment varies significantly. Even if treatment options are theoretically productive, they may be more difficult for low-income families, and racial and ethnic minorities to implement in practice secondary to socioeconomic factors. Lastly, the outcomes of undertreatment are significant. Disparities in obesity foreshadow integral inequality in health outcomes, including disability, and premature mortality.
ISSN:1558-1942
DOI:10.1016/j.gtc.2023.02.003