A comprehensive obesity management service is offered by only 15 per cent of
health care professionals in primary care, a new survey has revealed.
Findings from the survey were presented at the annual conference of the National
Association of Primary Care (NAPC) in Harrogate on November 1. The survey was
based on questionnaire responses from 224 NAPC members.
Most health care professionals (between 83 and 94 per cent) surveyed offered
services such as measuring cholesterol, checking for diabetes, weight loss counselling,
provision of diet sheets and referral to community dietitians. However, access
to other services was limited. Pharmacological intervention was offered by 54
per cent and the prescription of exercise programmes by 49 per cent.
There were a number of obstacles that hindered service provision, the survey
indicated. These included lack of funding, difficulty in accessing psychological
services and community dietitians, lack of practical guidelines and audit programmes,
few practice nurse resources and lack of consensus within the practice.
However, treating obese and overweight patients was seen as important by 60
per cent of health care professionals. For patients with at least one co-morbidity,
this figure increased to 82 per cent. The survey also found that, while 96 per
cent of health care professionals measure and monitor body mass index, only
12 per cent use waist circumference as an indicator of health risk. Fat around
the waist represents a far higher health risk than fat in other parts of the
body, the NAPC says.