Checking if Weight Could Cause Health Problems
2020-21 Edition
Why is it important to check weight for health problems?
One out of every three adults is overweight in the United States. Obesity can lead to many physical and social problems including depression, heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Being overweight or obese is preventable and treatable.
How should doctors check patients’ weight for health problems?
Doctors should determine your “body mass index” or BMI. A BMI is one way to measure your body fat. It is calculated based on your height and weight. Your doctor should use your BMI as a starting point to help you establish a plan to eat more fruits and vegetables and be physically active.
Talk with your doctor and health plan to find out what other services are available to help you eat healthy, keep active and maintain a healthy weight. Many health plans offer programs and education to support more healthy lifestyle changes. These additional services may be educational materials (online and in print), classes or support groups, or phone counseling. Some health plans offer weight management programs. And others offer discounts to health clubs.
What do the scores mean?
The scores show how successful each health plan was at making sure that patients had their body mass index (BMI) checked using their height and weight, when they had a doctor visit during the past two years. The higher score means more patients got the right care at the right time.
The scores are based on information from at least 30 health plan member administrative records in 2019. Some plans also use patient medical records which are often more complete and result in higher scores. Plans that decide not to use medical records are likely to have lower scores.
Data Disclaimer
The source for data contained in this publication is Quality Compass®2017 and is used with the permission of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Quality Compass® 2017 includes certain Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) data. Any data display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion based on these data is solely that of the authors, and NCQA specifically disclaims responsibility for any such display, analysis, interpretation, or conclusion. Quality Compass is a registered trademark of NCQA. CAHPS® is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
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