Weight Management

First, your GP or practice nurse will want to assess whether your current weight is healthy or not. This means measuring your weight and height to calculate your body mass index (BMI).

You may also have your waist measured. Measuring your waist is a good way to check you’re not carrying too much fat around your stomach, which can raise your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke.

You can have a healthy BMI and still have excess tummy fat – meaning you’re still at risk of developing these diseases.

Your GP may take your blood pressure and carry out other tests, such as a blood test, to check for any health conditions that may be related to your weight.

You can also check your BMI by using our BMI calculator.

If you’re overweight, changes to your diet and physical activity levels are the first step to helping you lose weight.
Your GP or practice nurse can help you assess your current diet and levels of physical activity, and set personal goals for change.

Your diet
You may be asked to keep a food diary – a written record of everything you eat – for one week.
This can help you and your GP identify habits, such as adding sugar to your tea, that you can change.

Exercise
Your physical activity levels can be measured with an activity diary.
Your GP may also suggest that you wear a pedometer for a week. A pedometer measures the number of steps you take and gives an indication of your daily activity levels.

Your GP surgery may refer you to other services, such as local weight loss groups. These could be provided by the NHS, or may be commercial services that you pay for.

If it’s appropriate, you may be referred for exercise classes under the supervision of a qualified trainer.

Depending on where you live, the exercise programme may be free or offered at a reduced cost.