Combating being overweight and the problems it can lead to is a complex issue, says Dr John O'Riordan. Many people present in surgery with other problems, such as knee, hip, or back pain, but these are often related to being overweight.
O'Riordan says for many GPs the problem is often:
a) how to approach a patient with a weight problem; and
b) finding the time needed to help such patients.
"Often the issue is how far you can bring a patient [on losing weight] in a short period of time."
He says being overweight is "not a blame game".
"People look at obese people and think automatically it is that person's fault. But the diet industry would not exist, unless such people had already tried five or six diets." Instead, he says, people will have to be realistic about how much weight they can lose (if they are overweight) and in the course of what period.
"We have to get away from the ideal which is written in text books, because for many overweight people, this is just not achievable," he says.
"Losing 5 per cent of your weight produces major health benefits, while losing 10 per cent produces massive benefits," he says.
Using Body Mass Index (BMI) as a way of measuring weight is falling out of favour for several reasons. This is partly because:
a) it is a somewhat complicated calculation; and
b) it does not take account of physical build; for example, athletic people may have a lot of muscle weight and this is not allowed for, says O'Riordan.
Instead, to see if you are overweight, he says you should do the following - measure your waist with a tape measure. Standing straight and relaxed, place the tape measure half-way between the lower part of the ribcage on your flank (or side) and the highest point on your pelvis and bring it around. Do not do it after a meal.
This measures your waist circumference which should not be more than 40 inches for a man or 35 inches for a woman.