Weight loss information for clinicians
Every day almost two out of three of the adult patients you see are overweight or obese. About 25% of children are also overweight.
For most overweight and obese adults, achieving weight loss of 5% of initial body weight provides health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk, or delaying progression of type 2 diabetes. Further weight loss increases the benefits, particularly in people with obesity. For most overweight children the goal is to maintain weight.
Assisting people with weight loss in primary care can be difficult and time consuming. There are many resources available to assist.
Clinical guidelines
- Clinical practice guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity in adults, adolescents and children in Australia
- Royal Australian College of General Practitioners SNAP Guide also addresses overweight and obesity.
- Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guideline
Better Health is a free SA Health telephone coaching service to support individuals to make healthy behaviour change to reduce risk of, or better manage chronic disease and achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
Public information
- SA Health has information about healthy weight and weight loss on this website
- Wellbeing SA has a range of print resources