5A’s Obesity Management Approach Increased Obesity Diagnosis and Reduced BMI in Rural Primary Care Patients

Dr. Gagan Priya, Consultant Endocrinology, Fortis Mohali

Implementing the 5A’s of Obesity Management increased the diagnosis of obesity in a rural, low-income healthcare setting.

A quality improvement project evaluated whether implementing the 5A’s of Obesity Management in a rural, low-income primary care setting could improve obesity diagnosis and support weight reduction among adults with obesity.

Primary care providers participated in an educational session focused on the 5A’s framework and the importance of accurately measuring and documenting height and weight during patient visits. During initial consultations, providers discussed obesity management using the 5A’s approach and recorded body mass index (BMI) on patient intake forms. Eligible participants were English-speaking adults aged 18 years or older with a BMI greater than 30 kg/m² and were encouraged to attend monthly follow-up visits for three months.

Following implementation, electronic medical records were reviewed to assess changes in obesity diagnosis rates. Patient weights recorded at the first and last visits were also compared to evaluate changes over time.

The project found that use of the 5A’s framework increased the diagnosis of obesity and produced a statistically significant reduction in BMI over the three-month period. Given the high burden of obesity in rural and low-income populations, the findings suggest that structured obesity discussions and timely interventions in primary care may support weight management efforts and potentially reduce the risk of obesity-related chronic diseases and associated healthcare costs.

(Reference: Rowell HH. Implementing the 5A’s of Obesity Management in Primary Care. Available from: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1068&context=dnp_projects )