TY - JOUR
T1 - Achieving consensus on the language of obesity
T2 - a modified Delphi study
AU - Jepsen, Cecilie Heerdegen
AU - Bowman-Busato, Jacqueline
AU - Allvin, Thomas
AU - Arthurs, Niamh
AU - Goossens, Gijs H.
AU - Govers, Elisabeth
AU - Jaghutriz, Benjamin Assad
AU - Mooney, Vicki
AU - Van der Schueren, Bart
AU - le Roux, Carel W.
N1 - Funding Information:
This manuscript is part of a project that has received funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No 875534 ( www.imisophia.eu ). This Joint Undertaking received support from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and EFPIA and T1D Exchange, JDRF, and Obesity Action Coalition. We thank all participants involved in the conduct of the IMI-SOPHIA one voice exercise. Medical writing support was provided by Diana Marouco of OPEN Health Communications, funded by Novo Nordisk A/S in accordance with Good Publication Practice (GPP) guidelines ( https://www.ismpp.org/gpp-2022 ). The communication reflects the author's view and neither the IMI nor the European Union, EFPIA, or any Associated Partners are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
PY - 2023/8/1
Y1 - 2023/8/1
N2 - Background: Obesity is recognized by the World Health Organization as a chronic disease. As such, it should be referred to using the language of chronic diseases, with correct and established terminology and definitions. This study was designed to map the current language used to discuss obesity and to compare this with the standard language used for chronic disease. Methods: We performed a modified Delphi study to identify the language of chronic disease that is being used in the context of obesity, and to identify discrepancies and potential use of inadequate language with respect to the standard language used for chronic diseases. Participants (n = 24) were identified from relevant stakeholder groups and desk research, and included patients, healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, industry, and payers (social insurers) of 18 nationalities/regions in Europe, North/South America, and South Africa. Participants were enrolled between 20.10.2020 and 30.10.2020. The study comprised two rounds of qualitative surveys. In Round 1, participants responded to six open-ended questions. Round 2 comprised 38 statements based on key terms/themes identified in Round 1 and covered the definition, causes, progression, treatment, management, and complications of obesity. Consensus was defined as =70% participant agreement on a statement. Findings: All participants completed Round 1 and 23 participants completed Round 2. In Round 2, consensus was reached for 28 of the 38 statements. Participants reached a consensus regarding the use of statements that acknowledge the heterogeneous nature of obesity, but not on the use of statements that: defined obesity based on body mass index; regarded psychological, physical, or physiological factors among the main causes of obesity; or implied that weight loss should be the aim of obesity treatment. Interpretation: This study uses expert consensus to provide insight into the language used to describe obesity as a chronic disease, and forms the basis for a unified language of obesity. Funding: Innovative Medicines Initiative, Novo Nordisk A/S.
AB - Background: Obesity is recognized by the World Health Organization as a chronic disease. As such, it should be referred to using the language of chronic diseases, with correct and established terminology and definitions. This study was designed to map the current language used to discuss obesity and to compare this with the standard language used for chronic disease. Methods: We performed a modified Delphi study to identify the language of chronic disease that is being used in the context of obesity, and to identify discrepancies and potential use of inadequate language with respect to the standard language used for chronic diseases. Participants (n = 24) were identified from relevant stakeholder groups and desk research, and included patients, healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, industry, and payers (social insurers) of 18 nationalities/regions in Europe, North/South America, and South Africa. Participants were enrolled between 20.10.2020 and 30.10.2020. The study comprised two rounds of qualitative surveys. In Round 1, participants responded to six open-ended questions. Round 2 comprised 38 statements based on key terms/themes identified in Round 1 and covered the definition, causes, progression, treatment, management, and complications of obesity. Consensus was defined as =70% participant agreement on a statement. Findings: All participants completed Round 1 and 23 participants completed Round 2. In Round 2, consensus was reached for 28 of the 38 statements. Participants reached a consensus regarding the use of statements that acknowledge the heterogeneous nature of obesity, but not on the use of statements that: defined obesity based on body mass index; regarded psychological, physical, or physiological factors among the main causes of obesity; or implied that weight loss should be the aim of obesity treatment. Interpretation: This study uses expert consensus to provide insight into the language used to describe obesity as a chronic disease, and forms the basis for a unified language of obesity. Funding: Innovative Medicines Initiative, Novo Nordisk A/S.
KW - Chronic disease
KW - Language
KW - Noncommunicable disease
KW - Obesity
KW - Overweight
KW - Pre-obesity taxonomy
U2 - 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102061
DO - 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102061
M3 - Article
C2 - 37554127
SN - 2589-5370
VL - 62
JO - EClinicalMedicine
JF - EClinicalMedicine
IS - 1
M1 - 102061
ER -