Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and associated diseases among outpatients in a public hospital

Background: The prevalence of obesity is increasing and may be particularly high among indigent public hospital patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of obesity and its associated chronic medical conditions among outpatients at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, an urban tertiary health center that serves a mostly black, indigent population. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1,507 primary care patients. Age, sex, weight, height, and diagnoses were recorded, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Results: Eighty-one percent of patients were overweight or obese and 75% had one or more obesity-associated conditions. Higher BMI was significantly associated with increased prevalence of obesity-related diseases (P < 0.001) even when adjusted for age and sex. Conclusion: Overweight and obesity rates at this public hospital are alarming and may indicate a problem in public hospitals across the United States. The process and structure of care for overweight and obese patients need to be evaluated, and training for residents needs to address this problem.