RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Access to Primary Care in US Counties Is Associated with Lower Obesity Rates JF The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine JO J Am Board Fam Med FD American Board of Family Medicine SP 182 OP 190 DO 10.3122/jabfm.2016.02.150356 VO 29 IS 2 A1 Gaglioti, Anne H. A1 Petterson, Stephen A1 Bazemore, Andrew A1 Phillips, Robert YR 2016 UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/29/2/182.abstract AB Background: Obesity causes substantial morbidity and mortality in the United States. Evidence shows that primary care physician (PCP) supply correlates positively with improved health, but its association with obesity in the United States as not been adequately characterized. Our purpose was to characterize the association between PCP supply in US counties and adult obesity.Methods: We performed a multivariate logistic regression analysis to examine the relationship between county-level PCP supply and individual obesity status. We controlled for individual variables, including sex, race, marital status, income, and insurance status, and county-level variables, including rurality and poverty.Results: Higher county-level PCP supply was associated with lower adult obesity after controlling for common confounders. Individuals living in counties with the most robust PCP supply were about 20% less likely to be obese (P ≤ .01) than those living in counties with the lowest PCP supply.Conclusions: While the observed association between the supply of PCPs and lower rates of obesity may not be causal, the association warrants further investigation. This may have important implications for restructuring the physician workforce in the context of the current PCP shortage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the patient-centered medical home.