My doctor keeps focusing on my weight. What other health metrics matter more?

Are you searching for an sincere reply to a medical query? Dr. Mara Gordon, a household doctor in Camden, N.J., solutions reader well being questions month-to-month. Write us at: thrive@npr.org.

Query: I am sick of listening to about my weight once I go to the physician. I’ve heard that physique mass index is not even that useful in figuring out how wholesome I’m, however my physician nonetheless zones in on my BMI. What different metrics ought to my physician and I be utilizing to evaluate my well being? 

Sadly, it is fairly frequent to fulfill medical doctors who nag you about your weight.

As an anti-diet major care physician who takes a size-inclusive strategy with my very own sufferers, I usually hear from individuals who really feel belittled and shamed by this slim give attention to their physique dimension.

“Each single time I’d go into the physician’s workplace, it was: ‘She’s obese,'” Jessi Rice Greenlow instructed me. “‘You’ll want to get her into sports activities. You’ll want to scale back her meals.'”

Now Greenlow is a well being coach who helps households navigate weight stigma. However as a toddler, Greenlow stated, each physician’s appointment changed into a dialogue about making her smaller.

“That formed what our residence life regarded like and what I used to be allowed to consider myself,” Greenlow stated.

Fortunately, there are many different science-backed metrics you’ll be able to give attention to as a substitute. In reality, BMI has some severe limitations on the subject of assessing how wholesome you might be.

After I work with my very own major care sufferers, I discover that specializing in extra evidence-based metrics — together with blood strain, glucose tolerance, mobility, and temper — is far much less stigmatizing. And it is extra scientific, too.

Listed here are some dialog starters you need to use to nudge your physician into having a extra useful dialog — and the important thing well being metrics and objectives I would encourage you to give attention to as a substitute of your weight.

Know that BMI has limitations

In 2025, the Lancet revealed a serious report on weight problems, and the very first line acknowledges that BMI gives “insufficient details about well being on the particular person stage.”

BMI will be helpful for monitoring population-wide traits about physique dimension, however it’s usually too blunt of an instrument to present you actionable details about your individual well-being.

That is why in 2023, the American Medical Affiliation handed a decision noting that BMI has “vital limitations” when utilized in medical follow.

Each day in my very own clinic, for instance, I look after sufferers who’ve a so-called “regular weight” who’ve superior diabetes and heart problems. Then, my very subsequent affected person is likely to be energetic and thriving with a BMI within the weight problems vary, with no proof of coronary heart illness or diabetes.

And weight reduction is not at all times optimistic. Another person with a supposedly regular BMI might need misplaced weight due to most cancers remedy.

You’ll be able to skip the dimensions 

You do not have to be weighed at each physician’s appointment. Whereas many practices embrace weight as a part of their routine workflow, that does not imply it’s a must to do it. A well mannered refusal — “I would desire to not be weighed” — is commonly all it takes.

Typically medical doctors do want correct weights to handle sure medical situations. Chemotherapy dosing will be weight-dependent, for instance, and there are coronary heart situations delicate to minor fluctuations in fluid ranges, which will be caught early by correct weight measurement.

I additionally wish to know if my sufferers expertise a speedy weight reduction or weight acquire, which will be indicators of underlying medical issues. For in any other case wholesome individuals, I often wish to get an up to date weight no less than annually.

Your physician must be keen to clarify why they should measure your weight. In the event that they really want to however you discover it distressing, you’ll be able to ask the medical assistant to not disclose the quantity.

Push for the dialog you need

In case your physician initiates a dialogue about weight that does not really feel welcome, Greenlow steered having what she calls “pocket phrases” prepared to show the dialog in the direction of these different well being metrics and habits.

“Follow beforehand,” Greenlow stated. “Once you go into the workplace blind, that may be type of difficult, and also you would possibly freeze up.”

Listed here are just a few of the phrases she’s used with medical doctors:

“I am not comfy speaking about my weight each appointment.”

“What else can we discuss?” or “What different assessments can be found that might be a hit marker?”

Most medical doctors, I hope, can be glad to broaden the dialog past physique dimension.

Focus in your well being objectives, not your dimension

When my very own sufferers are available for a checkup, I often like to start out with this query: “What are your objectives?” What it means to be “wholesome” is totally different for each affected person, so I attempt to take the time to discover what a full, flourishing life seems to be like for them.

For instance, lots of my sufferers need to add extra greens to their weight loss program and reduce on ultraprocessed meals. That is usually an excellent plan to really feel good and scale back the chance of cardiometabolic illness. However for an individual in restoration from an consuming dysfunction, focusing an excessive amount of on weight loss program will be psychologically distressing. It is likely to be more healthy for that affected person to take a break from worrying about meals.

And your well being objectives can change over your lifetime. Train could also be actually difficult should you’re caring for a younger youngster, and sleep will take precedence. However within the menopausal transition, train could also be your prime aim should you’re seeking to stop bone loss.

Greenlow stated she lately began seeing a physician who asks her questions on her well being objectives and the habits she desires to work on, reasonably than merely telling her to drop pounds.

“For any individual who considered dimension as being synonymous with well being … it is a new psychological mindset to permit your self to see wins away from the dimensions,” Greenlow stated. For her that features a give attention to getting higher sleep so she has “secure vitality all through the day.”

Listed here are just a few key objectives and habits to debate along with your physician:

Psychological well being:

As I work with my sufferers to outline their well being objectives, psychological well being is a vital part. It is usually difficult for individuals to consider their bodily wellbeing with out the inspiration of a optimistic temper.

That is why most major care medical doctors display screen their sufferers for melancholy. Should you’ve been feeling down, do not hesitate to ask your physician about remedy choices. There are superb therapies for melancholy — remedy and drugs can work wonders! — and I do not need to miss a chance to assist my sufferers. One other query value contemplating is how usually you see the individuals you like, since there is a huge physique of proof that reveals strong social connections may help stop illness and early dying.

Motion:

It is no secret that common train is nice for every part from enhancing your temper to defending your bones — and even just a little goes a great distance! I wish to reframe train not as punishing 3-hour health club periods however reasonably as little motion “snacks” that may slot in all through your day, issues like gardening or a each day stroll with a buddy.

In fact, mobility is usually a problem and also you should not really feel dangerous when you have mobility limitations. If that is your state of affairs, ask your physician about assistive gadgets like canes, walkers, and wheelchairs which may help individuals do what they need to do.

Sleep:

Sleep is the inspiration of every part! It’s vital for each bodily and psychological well being. I attempt to examine in about sleep habits and discover out if my sufferers are struggling. If you’re, ask your physician about evidence-based therapies. Cognitive behavioral remedy for insomnia may be very efficient and medication-free!

Metrics to observe: glucose tolerance

I take a look at most of my sufferers for indicators of glucose intolerance, which is usually a precursor to diabetes. That is often performed by checking a glucose take a look at or a Hemoglobin A1C. I desire the A1C as a result of it may be accomplished with out fasting, which makes it a lot simpler for my sufferers to get it performed.

It provides my sufferers and I a way of what their blood sugar ranges have been over the previous couple of months. A analysis of diabetes – that is an A1C of 6.5 or above – warrants remedy instantly to forestall issues. When you have an elevated A1C with out being on the diabetes stage (also called pre-diabetes) that is usually an excellent purpose to give attention to common train. Day by day strolling may help stop prediabetes from progressing to diabetes, even should you do not drop pounds doing it.

Perceive your heart problems danger 

Understanding your danger for growing heart problems — after which decreasing that danger, by weight loss program, train, and drugs — is a key a part of wellness.

Historically, most major care medical doctors have estimated that danger utilizing a calculator referred to as the Pooled Cohort Equations, generally recognized to medical doctors because the Athersclerotic Cardiovascular Illness Threat Estimator. It seems to be on the components that put sufferers in danger for coronary heart illness and stroke. The American Coronary heart Affiliation recommends that folks often begin a ldl cholesterol medication referred to as a statin if their 10-year danger of a coronary heart assault or stroke is 7.5% or above.

However now there is a new calculator on the town: the PREVENT calculator, which many medical doctors are actually turning to as a result of it was developed utilizing extra knowledge and can be utilized for youthful individuals. Analysis suggests it is a greater device to estimate danger, although it hasn’t but been formally adopted by the AHA pointers about statin use.

In case your physician recommends medicine based mostly on a danger calculator, it is value speaking to them about which calculator they used and which variables it contains.

One other device I generally suggest to estimate danger of coronary heart illness known as coronary calcium scoring, a CT scan of the guts that measures calcified plaque within the arteries of your coronary heart. In case your LDL ldl cholesterol (the “dangerous ldl cholesterol”) is elevated however you do not fairly meet standards to start out a drugs, a coronary calcium rating may help consider should you would possibly profit or not.

Keep on prime of most cancers screening 

Be sure to’re up-to-date on the most cancers screening that is advisable in your age. Speak to your physician concerning the specifics of your medical historical past and household historical past, however the large ones are as follows: cervical most cancers for anybody with a uterus, breast most cancers screening for girls and colon most cancers screening for most individuals beginning at age 45.

Dr. Mara Gordon is a household doctor in Camden, N.J.. She writes the Substack publication “Your Physician Buddy.”