How do I prepare for a doctor visit about my weight?

This checklist is general information. Your doctor decides which tests and treatments are right for you, and what is available differs by country.

What should I do before the appointment?

Book enough time and write things down in advance, so nothing important is forgotten when you are in the room. You can print this page and fill in the points.

1. When you book, say you want to talk about your weight and health, and ask for a longer appointment if possible.
2. Decide whether you want to bring someone you trust.
3. If you have concerns about being weighed, or need a larger blood pressure cuff or a chair without arms, mention it when you book.
4. Collect any recent test results, letters from other doctors and your home blood pressure or glucose readings, if you have them.

Write down beforehand

• Your main reason for coming. What do you most want help with today?
• Symptoms. For example pain, tiredness, snoring or breathing pauses at night, low mood, heartburn, or problems with periods or fertility. Note when they started.
• Your weight history. When did your weight change? Were there life events, illnesses, pregnancies or new medicines around that time?
• All medicines and supplements. Some medicines can cause weight gain. See medication and weight gain.
• What you have tried before. Programmes, diets, medicines, therapy, and what helped or did not help.
• Eating, sleep and stress. Any binge eating, eating at night, shift work, poor sleep or high stress.
• Family history. For example type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure or obesity in close relatives.
• Your goals. What matters most to you: more energy, less pain, better blood sugar, being able to play with your children, preparing for pregnancy?

Which questions could I ask?

Pick the three to five questions that matter most to you and put them at the top of your list. Doctors often have limited time, so start with what is most important.

• Could my weight be linked to a medical condition, a medicine I use, my sleep or my mental health?
• Do I have clinical obesity or health problems related to my weight, and how serious are they?
• Which tests do you recommend, and why?
• Which treatment options fit my situation: lifestyle support, psychological support, medication, surgery?
• Which treatments are available here, is there a waiting list, and are the costs reimbursed?
• What are the possible benefits and side effects of each option?
• How will we measure progress, apart from weight?
• Who can I contact between appointments?

Which checks and tests may be done?

Your doctor may measure your body size and check for health problems that are common with obesity, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and fatty liver disease. Guidelines recommend asking your permission before taking measurements. Not every test is needed for every person.

Some doctors also use a staging system, such as the Edmonton Obesity Staging System, to see how much obesity affects your health. Read more about health risks of obesity.

What can I do during the conversation?

You can take an active part: ask questions, take notes and check that you have understood.

• Start with your main reason for coming.
• Take notes, or ask your companion to take them.
• If you do not understand something, ask the doctor to explain it again in simple words.
• At the end, repeat the plan in your own words: what happens next, and when.

What if the conversation does not go well?

If you feel judged, rushed or not heard, you can calmly steer the conversation back, and you can look for other help afterwards. A bad appointment says more about the care than about you.

1. Name what you need: I would like us to look at this complaint first.
2. Ask for other causes: What would you check for in someone with a lower weight with the same symptoms?
3. Ask for the reason behind advice or a refusal, and ask for it to be written in your notes.
4. If you are upset, you can ask for a break or a follow-up appointment.
5. Afterwards, consider asking for a different doctor or a second opinion.
6. If you were treated disrespectfully, you can give feedback or use the complaints procedure. See weight stigma in healthcare.

What should I do after the appointment?

Good follow-up turns one conversation into a care plan. Obesity is a chronic disease, so regular contact usually works better than a single visit.

• Write down the plan and any test dates while you still remember them.
• Ask how and when you will get test results, and who explains them.
• Book the next appointment before you leave, if possible.
• Follow up on referrals if you do not hear anything within the expected time.
• Keep a simple diary of symptoms, sleep or energy to discuss next time.
• Look at the treatment options on our treatment page to prepare for the next step.