Screening

Screening

Collecting data on the heights and weights of patients within a practice will provide a picture of the magnitude of the problem of obesity within individual surgeries and localities. Statistically, symptoms a general practitioner with 1800 patients is likely to have 250 or more adult patients who are obese.1 Areas of high social deprivation can expect to have a higher percentage.

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Highlighting the Problem

Simple awareness-raising posters/leaflets could be set in place to draw patients’ attention to the importance of obesity treatment and prevention, order especially in high-risk situations e.g. smoking cessation.

 

References

1. Chambers R, mind Wakley G. Obesity and overweight matters in primary care. Oxon: Radcliffe Medical Press, order 2002.

2. Laws R. Current approaches to obesity management in UK Primary Care: the counterweight programme. J Hum Nutr Diet 2004;17(3):183–190.

3. Laws R, Reckless J. Differences in disease prevalence between obese and normal weight individuals. Int J Obes 2003;27(Suppl. 1):S83.

4. McCombie L, Lean M. The impact of obesity on prescribing resources in primary care. Int J Obes 2003;27(Suppl. 1):27.