Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Level of Using Diabetes Medication to Lose Weight for Non-Diabetic Patients

Obesity is the worst pandemic the world is facing currently as it has been proven to be the root of all other life-threatening conditions and is difficult to treat and manage. Anti-diabetic medications play a role in regulating metabolism by decreasing fat stores in the body indirectly. It is known that many non-diabetic people are often started on anti-diabetic therapy to target obesity and restore the metabolic balance of carbohydrates. The purpose of this study is to assess a KAP among non-diabetic patients who use diabetes medications for weight loss in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study involving 32 items of questionnaire-based assessment was carried out by enrolling and taking prior consent from 384 non-diabetic Saudi people of either sex aged 18-65 years. The study included 1532 participants, 69.4% of them were females and 30.6% were males. 94.3% were Saudi.  55.8% of participants were 20- 30 years old, 15.5% were 31- 40 years old and 12.3% were less than 20 years old. Total KAP scores among participants were illustrated as 32.5% had poor knowledge, 29.3% have moderated knowledge and 38.3% have good knowledge. Total KAP scores were significantly associated with occupational status and the presence of chronic disease. The Saudi population had a pool level of knowledge, awareness, and attitude toward diabetes medications used for weight loss. Awareness campaigns should be conducted by health authorities to raise people’s awareness regarding the potential complications of using these with no prescription.