Knowledge and perceptions of obesity among undergraduate medical students in Colombia: a cross-sectional survey

Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial disease representing a major public health challenge in Colombia. Despite its growing prevalence, evidence suggests that medical students have insufficient knowledge and skills for its effective management. This study aimed to assess knowledge and perceptions about obesity among undergraduate medical students in Colombia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 203 medical students from Colombian universities during the 2025 academic year. Seventy per cent of respondents were enrolled in institutions located in the Coffee Axis region (Risaralda, Quindío, and Caldas), so the sample is not nationally representative. Participants completed an 18-item self-administered questionnaire comprising 16 multiple-choice items and 2 open-ended questions, covering pathophysiology and etiology, diagnostic criteria, treatment goals, and long-term complication management. Participants were classified into preclinical (years 1–2), clinical (years 3–4), and internship (years 5–6) groups. Non-parametric tests and effect size estimates were used for group comparisons, and responses to the two open-ended items were examined using descriptive qualitative content analysis. The median overall knowledge score was 9.0 out of 16 items, with more than 95% of participants reporting low to intermediate self-perceived competence. Significant differences across academic groups were found for overall scores and treatment goals, though effect sizes were small. The lowest scores were observed in the complications and long-term management domain. Content analysis of the open-ended responses identified barriers including insufficient training, weight bias, communication apprehension, and limited awareness of systemic determinants of obesity. Substantial knowledge gaps and attitudinal barriers regarding obesity management persist across all academic levels in this sample of Colombian medical students, which was drawn predominantly from a single region. These findings highlight the need for structured, obesity-focused curricular reforms in undergraduate medical education, and warrant confirmation in nationally representative samples.