• Cort Wernz, Rahma S Mkuu, Nicholas Leal, Raven Stegall, Caroline Wekullo, Dawit Woldu, and Idethia Shevon Harvey.
• Department of Health and Kinesiology Texas A&M University, TX.
• Afr Health Sci. 2020 Jun 1; 20 (2): 903-911.

BackgroundAs Kenya continues to experience rapid development and urbanization, growing evidence shows an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and overweight and obese citizens.ObjectivesThis study sought to explore the extent to which Kenyan overweight and obese participants reported receiving advice from physicians or health care providers to lose weight and to identify demographic characteristics associated with receipt of weight loss advice.MethodsDescriptive statistics analyzed sociodemographic characteristics and weight loss advice from the 2015 Kenya WHO STEPwise survey (n = 1335). A bivariate logistic regression model estimated the association between socio-demographic characteristics and weight loss advice reported from a physician or health care provider.ResultsThe prevalence of weight loss advice from health professionals among overweight and obese participants was 19%. Model results indicated that obese individuals [odds ratio (OR) = 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.36, 3.26)], individuals with higher than a secondary education [OR = 2.26, 95% CI (1.39, 3.68)], urban dwellers [OR = 2.38, 95% CI (1.29, 4.39)], and women [OR = 3.13, 95% CI (1.60, 6.12)] were significantly more likely to receive weight loss advice from their physician or health care provider.ConclusionThis study found low levels of report of physician or health care provider advice for weight loss among overweight individuals. Advice was primarily reported by obese patients. Weight loss advice differed significantly based on educational attainment, geographical location, and gender thus calling for targeted interventions to increase equitable NCD prevention services from physicians.© 2020 Wernz C et al.

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