People with certain long-term health conditions should have their weight checked once a year to allow doctors to pinpoint those at risk of complications like diabetes or heart disease, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has said. The new draft guidance could cover patients with the likes of rheumatoid arthritis, learning disabilities and obstructive sleep apnoea, as well as heart failure and stroke.
While patients with long-term conditions already have annual health checks, body mass index (BMI) or waist-to-height ratio is not always recorded, according to Nice. Its new draft quality standard suggests those with specific conditions should have an annual BMI check, with an additional waist-to-height ratio check for patients with a BMI under 35.
While the document does not give a definitive list of conditions, but suggests it should focus on patients with:
- Heart failure
- Learning disabilities
- Type 1 or type 2 diabetes, or those at risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Stroke
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
- The lung condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Dyslipidaemia, or abnormal levels of fats in the blood
- Peripheral arterial disease, or a build up of fatty deposits in the arteries
- Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or other psychoses
It also suggests there should be annual follow-ups for those discharged from bariatric surgery services, as well as support for people with learning disabilities to access weight management services. Professor Jonathan Benger, deputy chief executive and chief medical officer at Nice, said: “These simple annual measurements create opportunities for early intervention and conversations about long-term health and wellbeing.
“By identifying trends before they become problems, clinical practitioners can help people prevent more serious health complications down the line. Annual monitoring of BMI and waist-to-height ratio is a powerful tool to help prevent problems developing such as the onset of diabetes, heart disease or other obesity-related conditions.
“Once implemented, these proposed quality standards could significantly improve health outcomes for people with long-term conditions by ensuring consistent, timely support for weight management across all healthcare settings.”
The draft quality standard is open for public consultation until April 15. The final guidance is expected to be published in August.
Dr Rebecca Payne, GP and chair of the quality standards advisory committee, added: “We want to hear from healthcare professionals and commissioners during the consultation period to understand whether the proposals we have made can be implemented in the NHS.
“Nice must focus on what matters most and in areas where it can make the biggest difference. We expect these changes to demonstrate the impact we are having on the lives of people with weight related conditions.”