Assessing and counseling the obese patient: Improving resident obesity counseling competence

Objective: To evaluate obesity counseling competence among residents in a primary care training program Methods: We delivered a 3 h obesity curriculum to 28 Primary Care residents and administered a pre-curriculum and post curriculum survey looking specifically at self-assessed obesity counseling competence. Results: Nineteen residents completed both the pre curriculum survey and the post curriculum survey. The curriculum had a positive impact on residents’ ability to ascertain patient's stage of change, use different methods to obtain diet history (including 24 h recall, food record or food frequency questionnaire), respond to patient's questions regarding treatment options, assist patients in setting realistic goals for weight loss based on making permanent lifestyle changes, and use of motivational interviewing to change behavior. When looking at the 5As domains, there was a significant improvement in the domains of Assess, Advise, and Assist. The proportion of residents with a lower level of self-assessed obesity counseling competence reduced from 75% before the curriculum to 37.5% (p = 0.04) after the curriculum. Conclusion: Our curriculum addressing weight loss counseling using the 5As model increased obesity counseling competence among residents in a primary care internal medicine residency program.