FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENTS' KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND SELF-EFFICACY REGARDING OBESITY, NUTRITION, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY COUNSELING IN RIYADH CITY, SAUDI ARABIA, 2020

Background: Overweight and obesity are pandemic public health issues which represent a rapidly growing problems that affect virtually all ages and all socio‑economic groups. Family medicine residents are potentially well placed to play a key role in the prevention and management of overweight and obesity as they are first line of defense and contributor to cost-effective in management.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the degree to which residents training in family medicine programs are prepared to provide obesity, nutrition, and physical activity (ONPA) counseling in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Materials and methods

Methods: This is a cross sectional study conducted among family medicine residents from different programs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the period from 1st of January till 31st December 2020. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed using online platform or by hard copy among the targeted residents. Questionnaire was composed of socio demographic characteristics and ONPA counseling questionnaires. Data were gathered and coded in MS Excel and all statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 21.

Results: A total of 200 family medicine residents were recruited (Females: 54% vs Males: 46%). The mean ONPA knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy scores were 46.1, 53.9 and 64.5 out of 100 scale each, respectively. Factors significantly associated with ONPA knowledge were resident level and attending obesity clinic while residency program was the factor associated with ONPA attitude. Likewise, significant factors associated with ONPA self-efficacy were gender and number of obese patients seen per week.

Conclusion: Although the ONPA attitude and self-efficacy of family medicine residents were adequate however, there were gaps being observed in relation to their ONPA knowledge. There is a need to know and to fill the gaps in the knowledge of family medicine residents in our region.

Keywords: ONPA, Family medicine residents, knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy