TOPLINE:

The Weight and Emotions Scale (WES), a new 16-item patient-reported measure, can be used in clinical trials, observational studies, and clinical practice to assess the impact of obesity or overweight and the benefits of treatment on patients’ emotional functioning.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers developed WES, a new patient-reported outcome measure designed to assess how obesity or overweight — and treatments for these conditions — affect patients’ emotional functioning.
• The scale was developed using qualitative interviews with 40 participants exiting a phase 2 retatrutide trial (mean age, 51.0 years; 52.5% male), a targeted literature review of existing patient-reported measures, and input from three clinicians specializing in obesity medicine.
• A draft version of WES, featuring a 7-day recall period and five response options, was evaluated in cognitive interviews with participants with obesity or overweight, all of whom had at least one obesity‑related complication.
• Emotional concepts were identified through exit interviews, a literature review, and clinician input and were subsequently refined during patient cognitive interviews.
• Participants provided feedback on instructions, response options, recall period, and overall format, evaluating item relevance, clarity, comprehensiveness, and ease of understanding.

TAKEAWAY:

• Of 20 participants (mean age, 48.5 years; 80.0% female) who completed the questionnaire, 18 reported that the questions were easy to answer, and all considered every item relevant, with nothing to exclude.
• Most items were well understood, but one item (“low mental energy”) was misunderstood by three participants; at least 75% of the participants rated WES items as “very” or “moderately” important.
• The 7‐day recall period was retained because most participants found it appropriate and because it aligned with US FDA recommendations; all participants found the five response options clear and distinct.
• The final version of the WES contained 16 items assessing 13 emotion-related concepts associated with obesity or overweight and their treatment.

IN PRACTICE:

“To our knowledge, the WES is the first [patient-reported outcome] measure that can facilitate a robust assessment of the impact of obesity or overweight and the benefits of treatment on patients’ emotional functioning. The WES may be used in clinical trials, observational studies, and clinical practice,” the authors of the study wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Chisom Kanu, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis. It was published online in Obesity Science and Practice.

LIMITATIONS:

The study was conducted in the US, which may limit the generalizability of findings to other countries and cultures. The sample comprised mostly White and non-Hispanic or Latino individuals. Self-selection bias likely occurred because participants were comfortable discussing their weight and emotional experiences.

DISCLOSURES:

The study was funded by Eli Lilly and Company. Four authors reported being employees and shareholders of Eli Lilly and Company. Two authors reported being employees of Evidera, which was paid by Eli Lilly and Company to conduct the study.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.