Socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with the receipt of anti-obesity medication prescriptions and metabolic and bariatric surgery among eligible all of Us participants.

AIMS: There is a paucity of data on socio-economic characteristics associated with the use of anti-obesity medications (AOM) and metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) when accounting for clinical factors. This study characterized factors associated with the receipt of AOM prescriptions and MBS.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using the All of Us (AoU) Research (v.8) data. Patients with obesity who received AOM or MBS between 2017 and 2023 were included. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient characteristics, while multivariable regression examined factors associated with the receipt of the treatments.

RESULTS

Only 6.6% of 183 424 patients for AOM analysis, received an AOM prescription, while 1.8% underwent MBS among 93 146 patients. Being a man (vs. woman, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.65), Medicare insurance holder (vs. private, aOR = 0.78, 95% CI, 0.72-0.84), retiree (vs. employed, aOR = 0.70, 95% CI, 0.66-0.75) and high school degree holders (vs. college, aOR = 0.85, 95% CI, 0.80-0.90) were associated with lower odds of receiving AOM. Being single (vs. married, aOR = 0.84, 95% CI, 0.74-0.96), retired (vs. employed, aOR = 0.63, 95% CI, 0.49-0.80), with body mass index (BMI) 35- < 40 (vs. ≥45, aOR = 0.13, 95% CI, 0.11-0.15) were associated with lower odds of MBS. Patients with dyslipidaemia and obstructive sleep apnoea had higher odds of receiving both treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Disparities in obesity treatment exist. Male sex, older age, lower income and lower BMI were associated with lower odds of treatment, while dyslipidaemia and obstructive sleep apnoea were associated with higher odds.