Just 3% of overweight and obese people are referred to weight loss programmes, study finds
- Only 3.1% were referred to weight-loss programs by medical professionals
- Men are 31% less likely than women to be sent to weight loss programs
- Middle-class patients and patients from rural areas are also less likely to be sent
Only 3 percent of overweight and obese people are referred to weight loss programs, a study shows.
Men are 31 percent less likely than women to be sent to weight-loss classes or programs that address their diet and fitness.
Patients from middle class backgrounds are referred less often than patients from disadvantaged backgrounds.
People in rural areas are less likely to be sent for help.
Researchers looked at around 1.8 million overweight or obese people in England between 2007 and 2020.
Only 3.1 percent were referred to a weight-loss program by their healthcare provider (Stock Image)
They found that only 3.1 percent had been referred to a weight loss program by their GP or other healthcare professional.
Dr. Karen Coulman, who led the study, said some health workers were not increasing patients’ weight for fear of ‘stigmatising’ them. She added: ‘We need better training so that doctors and other healthcare professionals have more confidence in having these conversations.’
The study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, looked at community programs such as weight-loss classes and referrals to dietitians.
It says men may be less likely to be referred than women because they are reluctant to talk about their weight.
And those in rural areas could be left out due to a lack of weight management groups.
The research shows that the least needy are referred 16 percent less often than the most needy, possibly because their doctors see them less.
It says doctors should not rely too heavily on online diet and exercise programs, as these may not work for older people who prefer face-to-face help.