Changes in obesity-specific quality of life after a therapeutic patient education program in primary care: a prospective before–after study

Background Obesity is a chronic disease associated with substantial physical, psychological, and social burden. Primary care plays a central role in the long-term management of obesity and in coordinating multidisciplinary interventions. Although therapeutic patient education (TPE) is recommended as part of comprehensive obesity care, evidence regarding its impact on obesity-specific quality of life in real-world primary care settings remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate short-term changes in obesity-specific quality of life among adults participating in a structured TPE program delivered within coordinated primary care. Methods We conducted a prospective single-arm before–after study between June 2023 and December 2024 to evaluate the impact of a real-world therapeutic patient education program implemented in a coordinated primary care setting in Paris, France. Adults aged ≥ 18 years with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m² were eligible. Quality of life was assessed at baseline and after completion of the three-month program using the validated French EQVOD questionnaire, an obesity-specific instrument. The primary outcome was the change in global EQVOD score (0–100 scale). Paired comparisons were performed using non-parametric tests. Domain-specific analyses included adjustment for multiple comparisons. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the impact of missing follow-up data. Results Thirty-one participants were included, of whom 25 completed both baseline and follow-up assessments. Mean BMI was 37.4 ± 4.6 kg/m², and 68% were women. The mean global EQVOD score increased from 57.4 at baseline to 65.0 after the intervention, corresponding to a mean improvement of 7.6 points (95% CI 3.6–11.7; p = 0.002). Statistically significant improvements were observed in psychosocial impact (+ 9.3 points; p = 0.005) and food-related well-being (+ 7.9 points; p = 0.004). Results were consistent in sensitivity analyses. No association was observed between baseline BMI and baseline quality-of-life score. Conclusions Participation in this structured therapeutic patient education program implemented in primary care was associated with short-term improvement in obesity-specific quality of life, particularly in psychosocial and food-related domains. These findings suggest that therapeutic education programs integrated into primary care may contribute to improving patient-reported outcomes in obesity management. Larger controlled studies with longer follow-up are needed to confirm these results.