Skip To Main Content
Lilly
Menu closed
Lilly
  • Account Login / Register
  • Medical Home
  • Medical Education
      • All Therapeutic Areas
        • Alopecia Areata
        • Atopic Dermatitis
        • Dermatology
        • Psoriasis
        • Diabetes
        • Hypoglycemia
        • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
        • Crohn's Disease
        • Ulcerative Colitis
        • Migraine
        • Alzheimer's Disease
        • Cognitive Health
        • Obesity
        • Obstructive Sleep Apnea
        • Breast Cancer - Early
        • Breast Cancer - Metastatic
        • Hematological Malignancy
        • Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
        • Oncology Precision Medicine
        • Thyroid Cancer
        • Axial Spondyloarthritis
        • Psoriatic Arthritis
        • Resources
      • All Therapeutic Areas
        • Alopecia Areata
        • Atopic Dermatitis
        • Psoriasis
        • Diabetes
        • Hypoglycemia
        • Inflammatory Bowel Disease
        • Cluster Headache
        • Migraine
        • Alzheimer's Disease
        • Cognitive Health
        • Obesity
        • Obstructive Sleep Apnea
        • Breast Cancer - Metastatic
        • Gastrointestinal Cancer
        • Hematological Malignancy
        • Oncology
        • Osteoporosis
        • Rheumatoid Arthritis
        • Resources
  • Independent Medical Education
    • Cardiovascular
      • Alopecia Areata
      • Atopic Dermatitis
      • Psoriasis
      • Diabetes
      • Crohn's Disease
      • Ulcerative Colitis
      • Alzheimer's Disease
      • Obesity
      • Obstructive Sleep Apnea
      • Breast Cancer
      • Hematological Malignancy
      • Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
      • Oncology
      • Oncology Precision Medicine
      • Axial Spondyloarthritis
      • Psoriatic Arthritis
  • Chat Contact Us
Lilly

You are now leaving the Lilly Medical Education website

The link you clicked on will take you to a site maintained by a third party, which is solely responsible for its content. Lilly USA, LLC does not control, influence, or endorse this site, and the opinions, claims, or comments expressed on this site should not be attributed to Lilly USA, LLC. Lilly USA, LLC is not responsible for the privacy policy of any third-party websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.
Click "Continue" to proceed or "Return" to return to Lilly Medical Education.

OBSERVE

Loading icon

Study Overview

Patient Perspectives

HCP Perspectives

Study Overview

OBSERVE is a study evaluating the attitudes of key stakeholders in the US about obesity and its effective therapy.


Descriptions and Objectives


OBSERVE1-5

PerceptiOns, Barriers, and OpportunitieS for AntiobEsity Medications in Obesity CaRe: A SurVEy of Patients With Obesity, Providers, and Employers (OBSERVE) is a study evaluating the attitudes of key stakeholders in the US about obesity and its effective therapy. OBSERVE was sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company.


Doctor and patient thinking about body weight and medication
Participants1-5
  • Patients with obesity
  • Healthcare professionals (HCPs)
  • Employer groups
Objectives1-5
  1. Understand perceptions toward obesity and its treatments
  2. Understand the drivers and barriers for treatment of obesity, including anti-obesity medications (AOMs)
  3. Identify unmet needs in obesity management
  4. Identify unmet needs in healthcare delivery and access
  5. Facilitate the use of evidence-based therapies, including AOMs

Qualitative Phone Interviews1,2

In the first phase of OBSERVE, trained moderators conducted semi-structured cognitive phone interviews within the US.

Participants included:

  • 23 patients with obesity: body mass index (BMI) ≥30 or 27≤BMI<30 with a weight-related comorbidity
  • 25 HCPs: 9 specialties, including obesity medicine specialist, bariatric surgeon, internal medicine, gastroenterologist, general practitioner, psychiatrist, and endocrinologist

The survey included a mixture of multiple-choice and free-response questions exploring participant perceptions regarding weight management and AOMs.

Outcomes researchers used NVivo and MAXQDA qualitative research software to identify themes in interviews. Data from the analysis were used to refine the quantitative questionnaire used in the web-based studies.

Illustrated description of qualitative phone interview process

Quantitative Web-Based Surveys3-5

Cross-sectional surveys via quantitative web-based questionnaire were conducted in a sample of US-based participants in 2022.

HCP Perspective3

In May-December 2022, a diverse sample of 504 US HCPs were given a 45-minute survey assessing their:

  • Experience treating obesity
  • Beliefs about obesity and its management
  • Concerns about potential new AOMs

Inclusion Criteria
3
≥3 years in practice
Donut chart showing 60%
≥60% of professional time in direct outpatient care
100
≥100 patients seen or treated in a typical month
Donut chart showing 10%
≥10% of patients seen in a typical month have obesity
Professions of HCP Respondents
  • Physician/surgeon (n=424)
  • Physician assistant (n=40)
  • Nurse practitioner (n=10)
  • Dietitian (n=30)
4.9
4.9% of prescribing HCPs had never prescribed anti-obesity medication
67.7
67.7% of prescribing HCPs regularly prescribed anti-obesity medications
19.1
Physicians had a mean 19.1 years in practice since completing training

Patient Perspective4,5

In May-June 2022, a diverse sample of 917 participants in the US were given a survey assessing their:

  • Perceptions of obesity and its treatment
  • History of AOM use
  • Factors of interest in decision-making about new and hypothetical AOMs

Inclusion Criteria
OR
OR
Participants by BMI
  • Overweight (27-29.9): 12.8%
  • Class 1 obesity (30-34.9): 34.2%
  • Class 2 obesity (35-39.9): 21.8%
  • Class 3 obesity (≥40): 23.6%
  • Asians with overweight: 1.9%
  • Asians with obesity: 5.8%
Group of participants
The participant population was diverse with respect to age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic region
Medication bottle with pills
19.9% had previously or were currently taking prescription anti-obesity medications

Summary

The OBSERVE study identified key differences in the perceptions of obesity and AOMs between HCPs and people with obesity and overweight. While HCPs reported viewing obesity as a disease requiring treatment, people with obesity viewed it as a self-modifiable condition.2

Regardless of differences in perception, both groups expressed interest in combining a new AOM with other weight management strategies to “kickstart” weight loss.2,3,5

Please refer to the cited references for complete results.

For more information about the results of the OBSERVE study, check out the data pages linked below:

Patient Perspectives

HCP Perspectives

For more information about the OBSERVE background, objectives, and study design check out the video below.

References

  1. Kaplan LM, Kumar RB, Kahan S, et al. Perspectives of antiobesity medication use among persons with obesity and health care providers. Poster presented at ObesityWeek; November 1, 2021; virtual meeting.
  2. Ard JD, Kaplan LM, Dunn JP, et al. Pharmacotherapy use in obesity care: divergence among health care providers and persons with obesity. Poster presented at ObesityWeek; November 1, 2021; virtual meeting.
  3. Kahan S, Kumar RB, Ahmad NN, et al. Healthcare providers’ perceptions of anti-obesity medications: results from the OBSERVE study. Poster presented at American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 32nd Annual Meeting; May 6, 2022; Seattle, WA.
  4. Ard JD, Kaplan LM, Dunn JP, et al. Perceptions of persons with obesity or overweight toward this disease and its treatment. Poster presented at ObesityWeek; November 2, 2022; San Diego, CA.
  5. Kaplan LM, Kumar RB, Ahmad NN, et al. Experience and perceptions of anti-obesity medications among persons with obesity or overweight. Poster presented at ObesityWeek; November 2, 2022; San Diego, CA.

VV-MED-141930

Please rate your satisfaction with the content on the following statements:

Very Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

Neutral

Satisfied

Very Satisfied

Credibility of information
Credibility of information
Relevance of the information to my needs
Relevance of the information to my needs
Confidence to implement the learnings in my clinical practice
Confidence to implement the learnings in my clinical practice

Please rate your satisfaction with the content on the following statements:

Credibility of information
Credibility of information
Very Satisfied
Very Dissatisfied
Relevance of the information to my needs
Relevance of the information to my needs
Very Satisfied
Very Dissatisfied
Confidence to implement the learnings in my clinical practice
Confidence to implement the learnings in my clinical practice
Very Satisfied
Very Dissatisfied
  • Copyright
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • Consumer Health Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Sitemap

To speak to customer support:
Call (XXX) XXX-XXXX

This site is intended for US Healthcare Professionals only.

4.4.57 06/2025 | GLOOTH00001 04/2015 | © Lilly USA, LLC 2025. All rights reserved.

Product names listed above are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by or licensed to Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries, or affiliates

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Opt-Out Icon Your Privacy Choices
Cookie Settings
Facebook X LinkedIn
Lilly