• Ada Cuevas, Rodrigo Alonso, Álvaro Contreras, Denisse Montt, and Adriana Rendon.
• Centro Avanzado de Medicina Metabólica y Nutrición, Las Condes, Chile.
• Rev Med Chil. 2021 Feb 1; 149 (2): 217-228.

BackgroundMost of the Chilean population has overweight or obesity. The ACTION-IO survey identified the perceptions, attitudes, and barriers to effective obesity care in people with obesity (PwO) and healthcare professionals (HCPs).AimTo report the results of the survey in Chile.Material And MethodsAn online survey was conducted in 11 countries. In Chile, eligible PwO were adults with a body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2. Eligible HCPs were physicians involved in direct patient care.ResultsThe survey was completed by 1,000 PwO and 200 HCPs in Chile. Seventy four percent of PwO and 95% of HCPs agreed that obesity was a chronic disease. Most PwO (79%) assumed responsibility for their own weight loss, while 47% of HCPs considered weight loss to be the sole responsibility of their patients. Both 82% of PwO and 97% of HCPs believed that lack of exercise was a key barrier to weight loss. Sixty six percent of PwO and 58% HCPs noted that the cost of weight management medications, programs, and services was another barrier. Compared with HCPs, more PwO felt that genetic factors prevented weight loss (26 and 44% respectively). Few HCPs (19%) thought that their patients were motivated to lose weight, while 55% of PwO reported being motivated. Most (70%) PwO had discussed their weight problem with their HCP in the past 5 years, and of those that had not, 89% want their HCP to start a discussion about weight.ConclusionsChilean data reveal misconceptions among PwO and HCPs about obesity and highlights the need to improve education about its biologic background and clinical management.

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