Access to Primary Care in US Counties Is Associated with Lower Obesity Rates

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