Obesity rates could be worse than thought as patients have not had BMi recorded, study finds

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Obesity rates could be higher than thought after research indicated that a quarter of patients have never had their body mass index recorded by their GP. Kath Williamson, Professor Mike Lean and Dr Amy Nimegeer, from the University of Glasgow, concluded: "More complete current routine BMI data is required for accurate planning and provision of weight management services. Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: "Obesity is an incredibly serious public health issue, and GPs have an important role to play in ensuring our patients maintain a healthy weight. "However, it isn't surprising to hear that some patients have not had their BMI checked by their GP as in most cases, this won't be the reason they have made a GP appointment, and in other cases, a patient's BMI might not be thought a priority in order to make an accurate diagnosis and develop an appropriate treatment plan.