Weight management
Am I eligible for weight-loss treatment?
The thresholds, the exclusions, and why an honest answer is more useful than an easy one.
The usual thresholds
Prescription weight-management treatment is generally considered where body mass index is 30 kg/m² or above, or 27 kg/m² or above alongside at least one weight-related health condition — type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnoea, high cholesterol or cardiovascular disease among them.
Thresholds are commonly adjusted downwards for people of South Asian, Chinese, Black African and African-Caribbean family background, who carry cardiometabolic risk at lower BMI values.
What rules it out
A personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, is an absolute contraindication. Pregnancy, planning pregnancy and breastfeeding rule it out. Previous pancreatitis, active gallbladder disease, severe gastrointestinal disease including gastroparesis, and a history of eating disorders all require careful assessment and may rule it out.
Medicines that interact
Slower gastric emptying affects the absorption of other medicines. Insulin and sulfonylureas need dose review to avoid hypoglycaemia. Oral contraception may be less reliable during the first weeks and after dose increases. Bring a full list of everything you take, including anything bought over the counter.
Why a proper consultation matters
A consultation that never says no is not a consultation. If a service approves everyone who applies, the screening is decorative. Being turned down is sometimes the most valuable outcome of an assessment.
General information only. This article is not personal medical advice. Speak to a prescriber, pharmacist or your GP about your own circumstances.
