AlOmeir Othman, Almuqbil Mansour, Alhabshi Hanaa Ali, Alenazy Maha Mahrab Saiel, Masaod Hagwi Saleha Mafareh Al-Jaro, Alsanie Walaa F, Alamri Abdulhakeem S, Alhomrani Majid, Alshammary Amal F, Gilkaramenthi Rafiulla, Asdaq Syed Mohammed Basheeruddin
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Front Public Health. 2025 Mar 10;13:1503260. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1503260. eCollection 2025.
Obesity has emerged as a significant public health concern in Saudi Arabia, with rising prevalence rates contributing to an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. Community pharmacists, as accessible healthcare providers, hold the potential to play a critical role in weight management. This study aimed to explore the beliefs, practices, and barriers encountered by community pharmacists in Saudi Arabia regarding weight management.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among community pharmacists to gather data on their perceptions, practices, and barriers related to obesity management. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis using a multinomial regression model with the help of SPSS-IBM 2025.
Findings revealed that while a significant majority (73%) recognize obesity as a pressing health issue, only 31% reported receiving formal education on weight management, which impedes their ability to provide effective counseling. The demographic profile of respondents showed a predominance of male pharmacists (91%) aged between 31 and 40 years, which reflects broader societal trends in healthcare professions in the region. Furthermore, barriers such as inadequate staffing (39%), lack of private consultation spaces (37%), and the necessity for additional payment for weight management services (49%) were identified, underscoring the need for targeted support. Pharmacists showed a strong dedication to helping patients adopt healthier lifestyles. Specifically, 76% of pharmacists provided advice on following low-calorie diets, and 83% encouraged patients to increase their physical activity. However, only 33% regularly dispensed weight loss products, indicating a gap in practice.
Enhanced education and supportive policies are crucial for pharmacists in obesity management. Future research should focus on developing tailored training programs to fill the knowledge gaps and explore financial incentives to optimize pharmacists' roles in public health initiatives aimed at combating obesity and chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia. By addressing these barriers, community pharmacists can significantly contribute to obesity management and improve health outcomes in their communities.
肥胖已成为沙特阿拉伯一个重大的公共卫生问题，患病率不断上升导致糖尿病和心血管疾病等慢性病风险增加。社区药剂师作为容易接触到的医疗服务提供者，在体重管理方面有潜力发挥关键作用。本研究旨在探讨沙特阿拉伯社区药剂师在体重管理方面的信念、做法及遇到的障碍。
对社区药剂师进行了一项横断面调查，以收集他们对肥胖管理的看法、做法及障碍的数据。借助IBM SPSS 2025，使用多项回归模型对获得的数据进行描述性和推断性分析。
研究结果显示，虽然绝大多数（73%）药剂师认识到肥胖是一个紧迫的健康问题，但只有31%的药剂师报告接受过体重管理方面的正规教育，这妨碍了他们提供有效咨询的能力。受访者的人口统计学特征显示，男性药剂师占主导（91%），年龄在31至40岁之间，这反映了该地区医疗行业更广泛的社会趋势。此外，还发现了一些障碍，如人员配备不足（39%）、缺乏私人咨询空间（37%）以及体重管理服务需要额外付费（49%），这突出了针对性支持的必要性。药剂师表现出强烈的意愿来帮助患者采用更健康的生活方式。具体而言，76%的药剂师提供了低热量饮食方面的建议，83%的药剂师鼓励患者增加身体活动。然而，只有33%的药剂师定期配发减肥产品，这表明在实际操作中存在差距。
加强教育和支持性政策对药剂师进行肥胖管理至关重要。未来的研究应侧重于制定量身定制的培训计划以填补知识空白，并探索经济激励措施，以优化药剂师在沙特阿拉伯旨在对抗肥胖和慢性病的公共卫生倡议中的作用。通过消除这些障碍，社区药剂师可以为肥胖管理做出重大贡献，并改善其社区的健康状况。
