Evaluation of Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine clinical sciences residents' attitudes, beliefs and biases regarding obesity

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess biases, beliefs and attitudes towards obese individuals among physicians whose in a residency program at the clinical branches in Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine. Materials and Methods: Sociodemographic information form, and Attitude Towards Obese Persons, Belief Towards Obese Persons and GAMS-27 Obesity Bias Scales were applied to the physicians participating in this research. Sociodemographic information and additional questions were divided into two sections and questions that could misdirect the participants were placed at the end of the survey. Additionally, physicians' preferences of terms for addresing obesity and their estimations for their patients' preferences upon how to be called were inquired. Results: Mean score of the participants' Beliefs Towards Obese Persons was 18,2±4,7 and Attitude Towards Obese Persons was 58,9±10,1. Cronbach's Alpha coefficent of GAMS-27 scale was found 0,165. After comparision of these scales, no significant correlation was found between belief towards obese persons scale and obesity bias scales. However, physicians that claimed to not have biases towards obese people were found to have significantly higher attitude scale scores than those that claimed have biases (p = 0.003). The obesity terms physicians prefered using were determined as "weight issues, obesity, unhealthy weight, chubby" respectively. Physicians' gender did not make significant differences on these preferences. Physicians estimated that obese individuals' do not prefer to be adressed as "overweight, fat, obesity". Physicians' significant use of the term "obesity" despite predicting that patients do not perefer to be adressed as such attracted attention. It was seen that as the obese population increases among the physicians' family, friends, and patients seen daily, physicians grow belief over the idea that obesity is within control of the individuals. Conclusion: It was found that physicians' hold the belief that inviduals have control over obesity and that despite being close to neutral, the physicians' attitude towards obese individuals was found to be negative. Key words: obesity, prejudice, physician