Helping providers address psychological aspects of obesity in routine care: Development of the obesity adjustment dialogue tool (OADT)

Abstract

Background

This study developed and validated a dialogue tool (Obesity Adjustment Dialogue Tool) to efficiently assess QoL and drive to eat for use in routine clinical care.

Methods

A 13-question interview was created, assessing the impact of living with obesity on quality of life and drive to eat. In a counter-balanced order, PwO were interviewed and completed the Obesity Adjustment Survey (OAS), the Impact of Obesity on Quality of Life-Lite scale (IWQoL), the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TREQ), and the Control of Eating Questionnaire (COEQ). Questionnaire results were used to validate the interview using correlational and concordance measures.

Results

101 PwO consented and 98 completed all measures (mean BMI = 37.8; 30.7% Class III obesity). Correlations between the QoL dialogue tool and validated instruments (OAS, IWQOL) were moderate to high. Correlations between cravings questions and validated measures (TFEQ, COEQ) were high except for attempts to control eating. Correspondence based on categorizing both the dialogue tool and scales into high/low impact was high except for attempts to control eating (which was dropped from the final tool).

Conclusion

The Obesity Adjustment Dialogue Tool is a brief clinician-led structured interview which closely matches information derived from validated scales. This tool offers an efficient approach to incorporating QoL factors into obesity management.