Obesity Abstracts

Background: Pakistan ranks third globally in diabetes prevalence, with 33% of the population living with diabetes and equal proportion s pre-diabetes. Obesity, a major risk factor for diabetes and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs), is rising alarmingly. Nurses, the largest healthcare workforce, remain underutilized in obesity and diabetes prevention and management. Notably, Pakistan currently has no structured Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) training programs.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, readiness, and perceived barriers among graduate nurses in Pakistan to adopting leading roles in diabetes care, with a focus on addressing its complications.

Methods: A national cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 1,223 graduate nurses from 64 cities across Pakistan. The questionnaire captured demographic data, professional education, diabetes-related training, clinical experience, continuing professional development (CPD) needs, and perceived barriers. Data were analyzed descriptively with subgroup comparisons by gender, age, and education.

Results: Only 14.4% of respondents reported having any formal certificate or diploma in diabetes care, while 85.6% had no structured training related to diabetes or obesity management. Nurses with prior training were approximately three times more likely to express confidence in providing lifestyle modification and weight management counselling than those without training. Key barriers included lack of knowledge or training (3%), lack of awareness (1.4%), poor patient compliance and resistance to lifestyle change, and limited institutional support with restricted nurse authority. Subgroup analyses revealed that female nurses more frequently advocated for public awareness campaigns compared to males. Younger nurses (<30 years) showed greater interest in structured training, whereas older nurses (>50 years) more often cited patient compliance as a barrier. Post-RN BSN nurses demonstrated significantly higher readiness for diabetes care training compared to diploma-qualified staff nurses.

Conclusion: Graduate nurses in Pakistan demonstrate clear readiness to contribute to obesity and diabetes care but face substantial gaps in training, institutional recognition, and policy support. Integrating nurse-led education and interventions—such as the author’s pioneering 8-week nurse-led diabetes and obesity care program—has the potential to transform NCDs management in low- and middle-income countries by expanding workforce capacity and targeting obesity as a key modifiable risk factor.