Understand the ten essential facts about obesity
All healthcare professionals should know and understand the ‘Ten essential facts about obesity’.

The Royal College of Physicians [1] notes that:

  1. In the UK 1 in 4 adults are obese (2012).

  2. In the UK 1 in 5 children aged 10–11 are obese (2011).

  3. Obesity is strongly heritable (60% of weight variance is attributed to heredity) yet currently known gene mutations and polymorphisms account for <5% of weight variability.

  4. Diagnosis by BMI requires measuring height and weight accurately; risk stratification in overweight and modest obesity requires measuring waist circumference and possibly the use of a clinical staging system (Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS)).

  5. Prevention and long-term weight loss maintenance require sustained changes in diet and physical activity habits.

  6. Obesity is a major risk factor in diabetes (5 x), cancer (3 x the risk of colon cancer), and heart disease (2.5 x).

  7. Obesity is a major cause of health inequality and impaired quality of life and costs the NHS £5.0bn per year (2012).

  8. Modest weight loss (~10 kg) helps to improve diabetes, improves quality of life and reduces morbidity.

  9. An energy deficit of only 100 calories per day predicts a 0.5 kg weight loss in a month.

  10. Cost-effective treatments in appropriate patients include weight loss programmes (commercial: e.g. WeightWatchers; GP delivered: eg Counterweight); pharmacotherapy (egorlistat); and bariatric surgery.
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Understand the ten essential facts about obesity
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