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Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
05:10

Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report

Published on: May 30, 2025

Current approaches to obesity management in UK Primary Care: the Counterweight Programme

Rachel Laws1,

  • 1SRD, Nutrition & Dietetic Service, Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK. rachel.laws@counterweight.org

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics : the Official Journal of the British Dietetic Association
|May 14, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Primary care rarely recognizes obesity, with practice nurses providing brief interventions. Few obese patients receive referrals or medication, indicating significant gaps in weight management strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • General Practice
  • Obesity Management

Background:

  • Primary care settings are expected to manage obese patients within national frameworks for coronary heart disease and diabetes.
  • Current obesity management practices in UK primary care are not well understood.
  • This study aims to explore current obesity management approaches and identify care gaps in primary care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine current obesity management strategies in UK primary care.
  • To identify potential gaps in the care of obese patients.
  • To understand clinician (GPs and PNs) self-reported approaches to obesity management.

Main Methods:

  • Structured interviews with 141 general practitioners (GPs) and 66 practice nurses (PNs) across 40 primary care practices.
  • Review of medical records for 4000 obese patients (BMI >/=30 kg m(-2)) to assess diet counselling, referrals, and medication use.
  • Analysis of computerized records for 206,341 patients (18-75 years) to determine weight/BMI recording rates.

Main Results:

  • 83% of GPs and 97% of PNs reported discussing weight with obese patients.
  • Few GPs (15%) spent >10 min on weight discussions, compared to 76% of PNs.
  • Low rates of interventions: 20% diet counselling, 4% dietetic referrals, 1% obesity centre referrals, 2% anti-obesity medication use.
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) recorded for 64.2% of patients; obesity prevalence appeared lower than expected.

Conclusions:

  • Obesity is under-recognized in primary care, even in practices focused on weight management.
  • Weight management is often brief and opportunistic, primarily conducted by practice nurses.
  • Despite reported use of external support, patient referrals are infrequent, with practice-based counselling being the most common intervention.
Abstract

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