Family and community medicine as an important primary care tool for managing patients with obesity: a systematic review

Introduction: Obesity stands out as a multifactorial disease that can cause several public health problems. Currently, more than 30% of the world's population is overweight or obese, representing more than 2.3 billion people. Family and community medicine plays a crucial role in the primary care of patients with obesity and their families. Objective: This systematic review examined the relevant aspects of obesity and its comorbidities as a societal burden, as well as the role of family and community medicine as a crucial primary care tool for managing patients with obesity. Methods: The PRISMA Platform systematic review guidelines were followed. The search was conducted from May to June 2025 in the Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Scielo, and Google Scholar databases. Study quality was based on the GRADE instrument, and risk of bias was analyzed according to the Cochrane tool. Results and Conclusion: A total of 123 articles were found. A total of 34 articles were evaluated, and 16 were included in this systematic review. Using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, the overall assessment revealed 16 studies with a high risk of bias and 31 studies that did not meet the GRADE and AMSTAR-2 criteria. The studies showed homogeneity in their results, with X2=87.5%. It was concluded that obesity is a serious public health concern, representing a complex interaction between multiple genetic, socioeconomic, and cultural factors that are also associated with existing or resulting comorbidities and their treatments. The prevalence of obesity remains high, as do associated comorbidities and healthcare costs. Early primary care through family and community medicine is a significant strategy for reducing costs and improving outcomes for these patients. Awareness of obesity risk factors, especially those that are preventable, is important so that physicians can counsel patients on how to avoid or minimize them. Motivational interviewing can be effective in brief interventions to engage families in the initiation of treatment for childhood obesity in primary care. Connecting with specialist physicians can be important for supporting the engagement of adolescents with obesity. An evaluation and monitoring tool for family and community medicine residency programs can be a facilitating tool for program managers and enable evaluation and monitoring, providing ongoing training.