Have GPs given up in the war against obesity?

BRITAIN is failing in the war on obesity, a top NHS adviser has warned, as most doctors are ‘ignoring’ patients’ weight.

Many family doctors weigh patients every year and do no more, says Professor Paul Aveyard.

If a GP allowed an ill person to leave their surgery without medication or treatment, that doctor could be sued.

But, Professor Aveyard says, GPs routinely fail to refer obese people for help, condemning thousands to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke. The GP, who advises NHS England on obesity, has written a highly critical article in the British Journal of General Practice on doctors’ ‘neglect’ of the one in four of us who are obese.

It states: ‘When a preventive interaction occurs, clinicians typically advise people to change behaviour rather than offer support to achieve this.’

The expert, a professor of behavioural medicine at the University of Oxford, told the Daily Mail: ‘When it comes to high blood pressure, doctors prescribe pills automatically, but when it comes to obesity, most ignore it. It doesn’t float their boat because it is not an exciting, prestigious treatment.’

He added: ‘There is good evidence that putting people on meal replacement diets, providing portion control, can help many to lose weight.’

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said GPs were ‘highly trained’ to have sensitive conversations but standard tenminute appointments were not long enough to cover patients’ needs.

Dr Richard Van Mellaerts, of the British Medical Association, said the few specialist services that obese patients can be referred to are often full.