People with long-term conditions should have BMI check every year say health experts
Health / Tue 18th Mar 2025 at 11:10am
PEOPLE with long-term conditions such as COPD, diabetes and heart disease should have their BMI checked and recorded ‘at least once a year’, NICE has said reports Pulse Today.
In draft guidance published today, NICE said that adults with long-term conditions should have their BMI recorded ‘annually’, with additional waist-to-height measurements for those with a BMI under 35.
The quality standard published today does not provide a definitive list of long-term conditions, but suggests a focus on patients with:
COPD
diabetes (type 1 or type 2 diabetes or at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes)
dyslipidaemia
heart failure
learning disability
obstructive sleep apnoea
peripheral arterial disease
polycystic ovary syndrome
rheumatoid arthritis
schizophrenia
bipolar disorder or other psychoses
stroke or transient ischemic attack.
Click below for more details.
Resident
2025-03-18 13:44:16
BMI is completely outdated and a really inaccurate way of monitoring weight. It might be quick and easy to measure but it doesn't take into account distribution of body fat and muscle density etc. Body measurements are much more helpful.
Nicola
2025-03-19 06:40:50
"Anyone found to be overweight should talk to sensitive, non-judgmental doctors and nurses about how they can lead a healthier life and stop their excess pounds causing them problems." - What world do they live in? We are having to pay for private GP appointments for our staff now because the system is broken - Why not buy a pair of scales and set them up in the benefits office and make that part of the procedure. If someone is piling on the pounds, then you can have a word with them.
David Forman
2025-03-19 08:41:40
It might be nice if the NHS professionals set an example by following their own advice. The obesity problem is in part due to the unhealthy processed food so many rely on as it is quick and cheap. The ever increasing numbers of takeaways on the high street and the bombardment of fast food adverts on TV and radio add to the problem. Plus, I remember when local councils had subsidized leisure facilities that people on modest incomes could afford. This is a complex problem that goes beyond telling someone they are overweight.
Leave a Comment Below:
3 Comments for People with long-term conditions should have BMI check every year say health experts: