Background and Objective: The increasing rate of obesity all over the world has led to the establishment of different approaches to manage weight. One of the most popular strategies is pharmacotherapy for weight loss. The present study aims to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice about these medications in women attending Semnan’s sports clubs.
Materials and Methods: 350 women from 10 different private sport clubs in Semnan, Iran, were selected randomly. A self-administered questionnaire containing 24 questions about obesity and weight loss approaches, especially medications, was used to assess Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP). Demographic and anthropometric information were gathered from all the participants. SPSS 21 was used for statistical analysis.
Results and Conclusion: Mean age and weight of participants were 30.5 ±9.5 years and 70.1 ±13.1 kg, respectively. More than 68% were overweight or obese, and 54% had a poor self-image. Results from KAP revealed that the average knowledge score about weight loss medications was 9.45 ±1.8, implying a weak level of knowledge among our participants, and people with higher BMI had higher score (P = 0.045). The attitude and practice of the participants showed a higher score than knowledge and had an inverse relationship with anthropometric indices so that the higher body mass index, the lower score of attitude and practice (P < 0.001 and P = 0.007, respectively). This study highlights a significant knowledge gap regarding weight loss pharmacotherapy among women attending gyms. Given the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in this population, as well as poor body image perceptions, it is important to promote educational initiatives focused on safe and effective weight management strategies, emphasizing addressing both educational and behavioral aspects of weight management programs to support healthier lifestyles.