UAB Comprehensive Diabetes Center (UCDC) Associate Director W. Timothy Garvey, M.D., and collaborators recently shared their findings from a cross-sectional online survey of 785 health care professionals (HCPs).

Garvey is also principal investigator of the NIH-funded UAB Diabetes Research Center and a professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences.

The study, “Healthcare professionals' perceptions and management of obesity & knowledge of glucagon, GLP-1, GIP receptor agonists, and dual agonists,” was published in the scientific journal Obesity Science and Practice.

Among those surveyed were primary-care physicians, endocrinologists, and advanced practice providers.

Authors note the goal of their study was to explore healthcare professionals' experience in obesity treatment and their understanding of obesity medication options like receptor agonists (RAs) of glucagon (GCG), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1).

Authors concluded that “HCPs were less familiar with GCG or GIP RAs than GLP-1 RAs but expect dual GCGR/GLP-1 RAs may offer additional benefits, potentially addressing treatment barriers and access.”

The cost of the newer, second-generation obesity medications was identified as the leading limitation to accessibility. Other barriers to treatment included low patient engagement/adherence and inadequate time/staff.

Overall, researchers noted that more education for healthcare professionals on the differences in obesity treatment options like GCGRs, GIPs, and GLP-1s is needed as well as improved patient access to anti-obesity medications.

Other researchers included Cathy Mahle, senior associate director, cardiometabolism, clinical development and medical affairs at Boehringer Ingelheim; Trevor Bell, Ph.D., research director at dQ&A; and Robert Kushner, M.D., professor in the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine.