***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Anti-fat sentiment is increasing , is prevalent in health professionals , and has health and social consequences . There is no evidence for effective obesity prejudice reduction techniques in health professionals . The present experiment sought to reduce implicit and explicit anti-fat prejudice in preservice health students . Health promotion/public health bachelor degree program students ( n = 159 ) were r and omized to one of three tutorial conditions . One condition presented an obesity curriculum on the controllable reasons for obesity ( i.e. , diet/exercise ) . A prejudice reduction condition presented evidence on the uncontrollable reasons for obesity ( i.e. , genes/environment ) ; whereas a neutral ( control ) curriculum focused on alcohol use in young people . Measures of implicit and explicit anti-fat prejudice , beliefs about obese people , and dieting , were taken at baseline and postintervention . Repeated measures analyses showed decreases in two forms of implicit anti-fat prejudice ( decreases of 27 and 12 % ) in the genes/environment condition relative to other conditions . The diet/exercise condition showed a 27 % increase in one measure of implicit anti-fat prejudice . Reductions in explicit anti-fat prejudice were also seen in the genes/environment condition ( P = 0.006 ) . No significant changes in beliefs about obese people or dieting control beliefs were found across conditions . The present results show that anti-fat prejudice can be reduced or exacerbated depending on the causal information provided about obesity . The present results have implication s for the training of health professionals , especially given their widespread negativity toward overweight and obesity Background Health care providers will increasingly encounter information about the genetics of obesity as genetics research progresses . Purpose This study explores whether information about the genetics of obesity reduces medical student stigmatization of obese patients , and how it affects rates of health behavior-related referral . Methods One hundred and ten third and fourth year medical students were r and omly assigned to read about genetic or behavioral mechanisms of obesity , or a control topic .  Students interacted with an obese virtual patient in a virtual clinic and completed a battery of measures . Results Rates of most health behavior screening recommendations ( weight loss , exercise , and diet consultations ) were lower among participants exposed to genetic causal information than control . The genetic causal information group exhibited less negative stereotyping of the patient than control , F(1,105 ) = 5.00 , p = 0.028 , but did not differ in anticipated patient adherence , F(1,105 ) = 3.18 , p = 0.077 . Conclusions Information highlighting genetic contributions to obesity may lead to both positive and negative outcomes . Communication about the genetics of obesity should discuss the multi-factorial and non-deterministic nature of genetic risk Background : Weight bias is an important clinical issue that the educators of tomorrow 's healthcare professionals can not afford to ignore . This study , therefore , aim ed to pilot a r and omized controlled trial of the effects of educational films design ed to reduce weight stigmatization toward obese patients on trainee dietitians ' and doctors ' attitudes . Methods : A pre-post experimental design with a 6-week follow-up , which consisted of an  intervention group ( n = 22 ) and a  control group ( n = 21 ) , was conducted to assess the efficacy of brief anti-stigma films in reducing weight bias , and to test whether future , larger-scale studies among trainee healthcare professionals are feasible . Results : Participants at baseline  demonstrated weight bias , on both implicit and explicit attitude measures , as well as strong beliefs that obesity is under a person 's control . The intervention films significantly improved explicit attitudes and beliefs toward obese people , and participant evaluation was very positive . The intervention did not significantly improve implicit anti-fat bias . Conclusion : The current study suggests both that it is possible to conduct a substantive trial of the effects of educational films design ed to reduce weight stigma on a larger cohort of trainee healthcare professionals , and that brief educational interventions may be effective in reducing stigmatizing attitudes in this population This study 's objective was to define the current attitudes and practice s of military family physicians regarding obesity . The authors mailed a cross-sectional survey  to 267 military family physicians selected r and omly from the 1997 Uniformed Services Academy of Family Physicians membership data base . A total of 214 surveys ( 80 % ) were returned . Most respondents believed that they should be role models to patients ( 93 % ) and felt obligated to counsel patients regarding obesity ( 90 % ) . Fifty-six percent did not consider counseling obese patients professionally satisfying . Most correctly identified obesity as a risk factor for several diseases , except colon cancer ( 35 % ) . Fifty-four percent correctly identified the current World Health Organization definition of obesity . A notable minority ascribed negative attributes of sadness ( 18 % ) and lack of self-control ( 25 % ) to obese individuals . The results of this survey indicate knowledge gaps and professional ambivalence regarding obesity in the study group . Methods of increasing family physician effectiveness in modifying this important risk factor deserve further study BACKGROUND Medical students are exposed to a growing number of obese patients in clinical encounters . Many medical students harbor negative attitudes and stereotypes regarding obese patients , which lead to negative interpersonal behaviors . This study pilot tested the effectiveness of an educational intervention in reducing bias toward obese patients . METHODS Second- and third-year medical students ( n=64 ) watched a 17- minute video , " Weight Bias in Health Care , " and participated in interactive discussion to share experiences with encountering obese patients . The  Beliefs About Obese Persons ( BAOP ) , Attitudes Toward Obese Persons ( ATOP ) , and Fat Phobia Scales ( FPS ) were administered before and after intervention . Change in mean scores from before to after the intervention was tested for statistical significance using the paired sample s t test . General linear models were used to examine associations of subject characteristics with mean scores for each scale . RESULTS The intervention increased beliefs that genetic and environmental factors play an important role in the cause of obesity as opposed to lack of personal control ( mean BAOP increased from 16.53 to 19.27 ) . It also decreased students ' negative stereotypes regarding obese patients ( mean FPS decreased from 3.65 to 3.45 ) . There were independent associations of subject characteristics with post-intervention ATOP scores , with more positive attitudes in younger , male , and white participants . CONCLUSIONS Implementing a short educational intervention was effective in improving medical students ' beliefs and stereotypes regarding obese patients . This widely accessible and easily replicable program can serve as a model and springboard for further development of educational interventions to reduce weight bias among medical students OBJECTIVE : To examine how the weight of a patient affects both the attitudes that physicians hold as well as the treatments that they intend to prescribe . DESIGN : In a six-cell r and omized design , physicians evaluated a medical chart of a male or female patient , depicted as either average weight , overweight or obese , who presented with a migraine headache . SUBJECTS : A total of 122 physicians affiliated with one of three hospitals located in the Texas Medical Center of Houston completed the experiment . MEASUREMENTS : Using a st and ard medical procedure form , physicians indicated how long they would spend with the patient and which of 41  medical tests and procedures they would conduct . They also indicated their affective and behavioral reactions to the patient . RESULTS : The weight of a patient significantly affected how physicians viewed and treated them . Although physicians prescribed more tests for heavier patients , F(2 , 107)=3.65 , P<0.03 , they simultaneously indicated that they would spend less time with them , F(2 , 107)=8.38 , P<0.001 , and viewed them significantly more negatively on 12 of the 13 indices . CONCLUSION : This study reveals that physicians continue to play an influential role in lowering the quality of healthcare that overweight and obese patients receive . As the girth of America continues to increase , continued research and improvements in the quality of such healthcare deserve attention Obese individuals experience pervasive stigmatization . Interventions attempting to reduce obesity stigma by targeting its origins have yielded mixed results . This r and omized , controlled study examined the effectiveness of two interventions to reduce obesity stigma :  cognitive dissonance and social consensus .  Participants were college undergraduate students ( N = 64 , 78 % women , mean age = 21.2 years , mean BMI = 23.1 kg/m2 ) of diverse ethnicities .  Obesity stigma ( assessed with the Antifat Attitudes Test ( AFAT ) )  was assessed at baseline ( Visit 1 ) and 1 week later , immediately following the intervention ( Visit 2 ) . Participants were r and omly assigned to one of three intervention groups where they received st and ardized written feedback on their obesity stigma levels .  Cognitive dissonance participants ( N = 21 ) were told that their AFAT scores were discrepant from their values ( high core values of kindness and e quality and high stigma ) , social consensus participants ( N = 22 ) were told their scores were discrepant from their peers ' scores ( stigma much higher than their peers ) , and control participants ( N = 21 ) were told their scores were consistent with both their peers ' scores and their own values . Following the intervention , omnibus analyses revealed significant group differences on the AFAT Physical/Romantic Unattractiveness subscale ( PRU ; F ( 2 , 59 ) = 4.43 , P < 0.05 ) . Planned contrasts revealed that cognitive dissonance group means were significantly lower than control means for AFAT total , AFAT PRU subscale , and AFAT social/character disparagement subscale ( all P < 0.05 ) . No significant differences were found between social consensus and controls . Results from this study suggest that cognitive dissonance interventions may be a successful way to reduce obesity stigma , particularly by changing attitudes about the appearance and attractiveness of obese individuals Objective : This study examined the independent effect of a patient 's weight on medical students ’ attitudes , beliefs and interpersonal behavior toward the patient , in addition to the clinical recommendations they make for her care . Design : A total of 76 clinical -level medical students were r and omly assigned to interact with a digital , virtual female patient who was visibly either obese or non-obese . Methods : Interactions with the patient took place in an immersive virtual ( virtual reality ) clinical environment that allowed st and ardization of all patient behaviors and characteristics except for weight . Visual contact behavior was automatically recorded during the interaction . Afterward , participants filled out a battery of self-report question naires . Results : Analyses revealed more negative stereotyping , less anticipated patient adherence , worse perceived health , more responsibility attributed for potentially weight-related presenting complaints and less visual contact directed toward the obese version of a virtual patient than the non-obese version of the patient . In contrast , there was no clear evidence of bias in clinical recommendations made for the patient 's care . Conclusion : Biases in attitudes , beliefs and interpersonal behavior have important implication s because they can influence the tone of clinical encounters and rapport in the patient – provider relationship , which can have important downstream consequences . Gaining a clear underst and ing of the nature and source of weight bias in the clinical encounter is an important first step toward the development of strategies to address it OBJECTIVES To document general practitioners ' ( GPs ) attitudes and practice s regarding the prevention and management of  overweight and obesity .  RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES A cross-sectional survey of a r and omly selected sample of 1500 Australian GPs was conducted , of which 752 question naires were returned . The measures included views on weight management , definitions of success , views regarding the usefulness of drugs , approaches to and strategies recommended for weight management , and problems and frustrations in managing overweight and obesity . RESULTS GPs view weight management as important and feel they have an important role to play . Although they consider themselves to be well prepared to treat overweight patients , they believe that they have limited efficacy in weight management and find it professionally unrewarding . GPs view the  assessment of a  patient 's dietary and physical activity habits  and the provision of  dietary and physical activity advice as very important . The approaches least likely to be considered important and /or least likely to be practice d were those that would support the patient in achieving and maintaining lifestyle change . DISCUSSION There remains considerable opportunity to improve the practice of GPs in their management of overweight and obesity . Although education is fundamental , it is important to acknowledge the constraints of the GPs ' existing working environment OBJECTIVES : To document the attitudes and practice s of French general practitioners ( GPs ) regarding  obesity management .  RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES : A cross-sectional survey of a r and omly selected sample of 744 French GPs was conducted , of which 607 question naires were returned . The measures included views on weight management , definitions of success , approaches to and strategies recommended for weight management and prevention , problems , frustrations , and expectations in managing obesity . RESULTS : GPs have a high awareness of obesity as a medically relevant issue , with 90 % of them considering it to be a disease . However , they are only 42 % to consider themselves well prepared to manage obesity and 51 % to find obesity management professionally rewarding . They are 66 % to believe that only a small percentage of patients can lose weight and maintain that loss but have unrealistic goals , with only 20 % of them considering weight maintenance as a success . They do not consider collaboration with other health professionals like dietitians as a priority . Only 34 % of the GPs believe that the currently available drugs are effective . Their views regarding bariatric surgery are in agreement with the recommendations of international experts . Their main expectations regarding obesity management are to improve their professional intervention through formation , education and easy-to-use tools , rather than improving their collaboration with other health 
    Output:
    
Although many studies reported changes in health professionals ' beliefs and knowledge about obesity aetiology , evidence of effectiveness is poor , and long-term effects of intervention strategies on weight bias reduction remain unknown .