Abstract
Background: National data show that lesbian and bisexual women are more likely to be overweight and obese compared to straight women. Little is known about whether provider recommendation for weight management varies across these populations. Objectives: To compare, among lesbian, bisexual, and straight females with BMIs≥30: 1) the average Body Mass Index (BMI); 2) receipt of a diagnostic code for obesity; and 3) receipt of a provider recommendation for weight management.Design: We performed a cross-sectional study of 536 patient records from four outpatient academic internal medicine practices at the University of Pennsylvania between January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019 to determine variations in average BMI, proportion of ICD-10 codes for obesity, and proportion of weight management recommendations offered by providers among lesbian, bisexual and straight females with BMIs≥30. We classified provider recommendations as definite, possible, and absent. Multivariable linear (BMI outcome only) or logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between sexual orientation and each of the following outcomes: BMI, receipt of obesity diagnosis, and weight management recommendations.Patients: Lesbian, bisexual, and straight females with BMIs≥30Main Measures: 1) the average Body Mass Index (BMI); 2) receipt of a diagnostic code for obesity; and 3) receipt of a provider recommendation for weight management Key Results: There were no significant differences in BMI, receipt of obesity diagnoses, or weight management recommendations between lesbian, bisexual, and straight females with BMIs≥30. However, only about half the patients with BMIs≥30, regardless of sexual orientation, received a weight management recommendation as recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines.Conclusion: Disparities in BMI, receipt of obesity diagnoses, or receipt of weight management recommendations between sexual orientation minority and heterosexual females do not exist in this urban population. However, provider recommendation for weight management was suboptimal in all the groups.