What is the BMI Risk tool?
The BMI Risk tool is a clinical risk measure of healthy weight that applies to adult men and women. A healthy weight is a number that is associated with a low risk of weight-related diseases and health issues.
Simply complete your health profile, if you haven't already done so when you signed up. Once we have all your required attributes we will calculate your score and provide you with your risk profile.
If the BMI Risk tool puts you ‘at risk’ of developing long-term health conditions, you can raise this with your doctor, at your next appointment. NowPatient can also qualify you for risk-reducing strategies such as weight loss interventions. If you qualify for weight loss treatments, you will see a red triangle appear on the BMI Risk tool. Clicking the red triangle, will allow you to book a consultation with a NowPatient weight management clinician who can provide you with healthy living and lifestyle-modulating strategies that can help you reduce your weight and risks to long term conditions. The clinician can also discuss weight management treatment options.
Do I need to pay to use the BMI Risk tool?
No. The tool is free to use after you have created a NowPatient account.
How is the NowPatient BMI Risk tool different to traditional BMI calculations?
Traditional BMI calculations only use your height and weight to determine if you are at a healthy weight.
The NowPatient BMI Risk tool is an advanced measure that also takes into consideration other parameters such as your age, sex, and ethnicity. For example, If you’re from a black and ethnic minority group, you’re at increased risk of type 2 diabetes with a BMI of 23 or more.
What are the limitations of the NowPatient BMI Risk tool?
If you have an eating disorder, the BMI score results do not apply. Please get further advice from your doctor or other health care professional.
The BMI calculation does not include muscle mass, which weighs more than fat. This means muscular adults and athletes may be classed as overweight or obese even though their body fat is low. Adults who lose muscle as they get older may fall into the healthy weight range even though they may be carrying excess fat.
In addition, for pregnant users, the BMI calculations should not be relied upon when using pregnancy weight.
What do I need to do to get my BMI Risk information?
NowPatient uses the data in your health profile to automatically determine your risk. If your health profile is not up to date, you can select the BMI Risk tool on your dashboard and complete the assessment manually. The BMI Risk tool uses the following special category data:
Age
Height
Weight
Ethnicity
Waist size
What do the risk scores mean?
Score | Risk Category | Advice |
Below 18.5 | Underweight | It is very important that you speak to your doctor |
18.5 - 24.9 | Healthy weight | No action |
25-29.9 | Overweight | You are classed as high risk. Making changes to diet and exercising or increase activity, can reduce your chances of developing weight related, long term health complications like diabetes
It is very important that you speak to your doctor about having a blood test to check for conditions like diabetes, as you can have type 2 diabetes for years without knowing. |
30 and over | Obese | You are classed as very high risk. Making changes to diet and exercising or increase activity, can reduce your chances of developing weight related, long term health complications like diabetes. It is very important that you speak to your doctor about having a blood test to check for conditions like diabetes, as you can have type 2 diabetes for years without knowing.
If you are an NHS patient, Your doctor can also refer you to weight management clinics to help you reduce your weight. |
Why should I need to know my BMI score?
By using the NowPatient BMI Risk tool, we can identify if you are at risk of developing certain long-term conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and stroke. We can then provide you with interventions such as weight management and lifestyle modification advice. Reducing BMI has been shown to reduce the incidence of weight-related long-term health conditions.
Why do you use my ethnicity in the BMI Risk calculation?
If you are Black, Asian, or from another minority ethnic group, then you have an elevated risk of developing long-term chronic conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes. Ethnicity may increase the risk of health issues with a BMI of 23 or more.
Why do you use my waist size?
Although we do not use this in the NowPatient BMI Risk calculation, waist size is important because carrying too much fat around your stomach can raise your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke, even if you have a healthy BMI.
If your waist size is:
>94cm (37ins) for men
>80cm (31.5ins) for women
It means you are carrying too much fat around your stomach which can raise your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. We recommend that you try and lose weight.
If your waist size is:
>102cm (40ins) for men
>88cm (34ins) for women
It means you are carrying too much fat around your stomach which can raise your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. We recommend that you try and lose weight. You have a very high risk of developing long-term health conditions. You should make an appointment with your GP.
How do I measure my waist size?
To measure your waist size, follow the following steps:
Find the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips
Wrap a tape measure around your waist midway between these points
Breathe out naturally before taking the measurement