PD056 - BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT IN CLINICAL PRACTICE: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN SAUDI ARABIA

PD056

BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT IN CLINICAL PRACTICE: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN SAUDI ARABIA

N. M. Bawazeer^1,*, S. A. Alothman², A. A. Aldawood¹, L. S. Almubarak¹, L. A. Alhammadi¹, S. K. Alshubaily¹, H. A. Alzahrani¹, A. A. Almasud²

¹Health Sciences Department, ²Health Sciences Research Center, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Rationale: Body composition assessments (BCAs) are essential for identifying nutrition-related conditions, yet their use in routine healthcare remains questionable. This study evaluated healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding BCAs.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare professionals working in Saudi Arabia. Eligible participants were healthcare providers actively engaged in patient care. Participants without direct patient care responsibilities were excluded. Data were collected using a validated KAP questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitudes, and clinical use of BCA methods. Internal consistency of the questionnaire is acceptable (Cronbach’s α = 0.774). Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analyses were performed with significance set at p ≤ 0.05.   

Results: A total of 371 participants were included (mean age 32.07 ± 7.8 years: 50.1% male). Most participants (78.4%) worked in governmental healthcare institutions, with 23.5% had 1-3 years of professional experience. Clinical dieticians had the highest knowledge (5.7 ± 2.4), and attitude (4.21 ± 0.88) scores, followed by physicians (knowledge 4.03 ± 2.6; attitude 3.71 ± 0.93). Radiology specialists achieved the highest practice score. Knowledge correlated positively with attitude (r = 0.427, p < 0.001), but only weakly with practice (r = 0.166, p < 0.001). Participants reported challenges in using and interpreting BCA methods, which may explain the gap between knowledge/attitude and clinical practice. 

Conclusion: Greater knowledge is associated with more positive attitudes toward BCA, but this does not necessarily translate into clinical use. Targeted professional training and institutional support may augment the integration of BCA into routine practice, improving the identification and management of patients at risk of malnutrition and sarcopenia.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared