Policymakers exhibit knowledge gap on obesity epidemic

Policymakers were generally clear on the drivers of the obesity epidemic, but many were unaware of the extent of obesity in their countries and had differing opinions on how to approach the problem, according to data from an international survey.

Researchers from the European Association for the Study of Obesity and C3 Collaborating for Health surveyed 91 policymakers — 31 from England, 30 from Spain and 30 from the United States — in April and May to evaluate their perception of the extent of obesity, obesity drivers and appropriate actions to address the issue. Approximately half of respondents from each country were from legislature and the other half were from the executive branches of government.

Of those included in the study, more than half of policymakers from England knew that obesity is defined as a BMI of at least 30. However, only one-third of those in Spain and only 20% of those in the United States were aware of this exact cutoff point. Further, 43% of US policymakers were too unsure to provide an answer.

When asked about the extent of obesity, 71% of the surveyed policymakers in England and 70% of those in Spain offered estimated obesity rates that were within 5% of the actual rates. Despite having the highest rate obesity rate, however, US policymakers were least sure about the extent of obesity, with only 7% offering obesity rates within 5% of the actual rate.

All policymakers believed that individuals and their families are primarily responsible for weight management and that the food industry shoulders some of the burden. They were, however, more divided over what role the government plays. Whereas 42% of the policymakers in England and 30% in Spain said that governments are “very responsible” for obesity, only 17% of the US policymakers viewed the government as “very responsible,” and 20% said the government has no responsibility in reducing obesity in the future.

The researchers also found a considerable difference in the perceived role of health care professionals in management of obesity. In England and the United States, 97% of the policymakers believed health care professionals have a responsibility to address the obesity epidemic compared with 53% in Spain.

“This survey has given us an important insight into the thinking of policymakers on key issues around obesity,” Euan Woodward, executive director of the European Association for the Study of Obesity, said in a press release. “It will help us to tailor our advocacy more effectively, and ultimately influence policy in this critical area.”

This survey is the first phase of a more extensive project to be carried out in 2014, during which the survey will be extended to eight more countries.

For more information:

European Association for the Study of Obesity. Obesity policymaker survey 2013: A summary report. Available at: easo.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/C3_EASO_Survey_A4_LowRes.pdf. Accessed Nov. 21, 2013.

Disclosure: This initiative was supported by an unrestricted grant from Novo Nordisk A/S.