A significantly revised guideline on obesity in adults and children in Scotland has found that weight management programmes – consisting of diet, exercise and behavioural interventions – are the most effective treatment.

Published today, the guideline from the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) involved Glasgow's Naveed Sattar, Professor of Metabolic Medicine and Dr Jennifer Logue, Clinical Lecturer in Metabolic Medicine.

The guideline also states that where weight management programmes have failed to yield the desired results, there is a role for bariatric surgery in extreme cases of obesity.

Speaking of the guideline, which is summarised and available online in the BMJ, Professor Sattar said: "Currently, obesity is poorly recognised. All health professionals should be able to recognise obesity and its related comorbidities and access resources to manage the condition. Clinicians do not feel they have expertise, or access to expertise, in weight management, and some doubt whether it is within their remit. This guideline sets out to fill this knowledge gap."

Dr Logue added: "Concern may be raised about the potential cost of providing treatment for obesity - patient numbers are large and treatments, particularly bariatric surgery, are often perceived as expensive. However, most patients are not currently treated for their obesity on the NHS instead they are treated for its complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis.

"We would therefore urge health boards to move towards treating obesity effectively within the services that are already treating expensive obesity related diseases and so reduce the overall burden of the costs of obesity to the NHS."

The guideline contains information on the prevention of obesity, identification of high-risk groups, assessment and treatment.

In Scotland, 68.5% of men and 61.8% of women are classified as over weight or obese. Moreover 36.1% of boys and 26.9% of girls are also similarly classified.

In 2007 – 2008 the cost of obesity to NHS Scotland was estimated to be in excess of £175 million and this figure is predicted to double over the next 20 years. Experts say being obese at 40 years-of-age, reduces life expectancy by 7.1 years in women and 5.8 years in men.

Obesity Classification - body mass index (BMI) is used to classify overweight or obesity in adults:

Less than 18.5 - Underweight
18.5-24.9 - Normal range
25-29.9 - Overweight
30-34.9 – Obesity Class I
35-39.9 - Obesity Class II
40 or more - Obesity Class III

SIGN develops national clinical guidelines aimed at reducing variations in clinical practice and in outcomes for patients.

To view the BMJ's Summary of the SIGN Guidelines on obesity please see http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.c154

For more media information please contact Eleanor Cowie, Media Relations Officer, on 0141 330 3683 or e.cowie@admin.gla.ac.uk

First published: 24 February 2010

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