GPs increasingly encountering obesity in very young children, survey finds

Almost a quarter of UK GPs report seeing children aged four and under living with obesity as a clinical concern, according to new research highlighting the growing scale of childhood obesity and the challenges clinicians face in addressing it.

The survey of 540 family doctors, conducted by medical defence organisation MDDUS, found that 23 per cent had encountered obesity in children aged between birth and four years. Nearly half of respondents, 49 per cent, said they had seen children living with obesity up to the age of seven, including a small number under the age of one.

Overall, 81 per cent of GPs reported seeing obesity in children between the age of 12 months and 11 years.

However, the findings also point to significant barriers to effective clinical conversations. Four in five GPs said they find it somewhat or very challenging to discuss weight and health with the parents of an child under 16 living with obesity, with only 10 per cent reporting that such discussions are easy. Almost two thirds said they struggle to talk directly to young people about their weight.

Respondents cited concerns that discussions could cause distress, shame or stigma. More than 72 per cent feared parents might become upset, 47 per cent were concerned about anger and 24 per cent about complaints and 74 per cent worried that conversations might increase feelings of shame or stigma. Similar anxieties were reported about speaking directly to children, including concerns about triggering disordered eating behaviours.

Dr John Holden, Chief Medical Officer at MDDUS, said the findings underline the pressures facing primary care teams. He described the results as “an alarming confirmation of the growing crisis of childhood obesity across the country and the very real difficulties this creates in everyday GP consultations”.

He added that the complex drivers of obesity, including poverty, limited access to nutritious food and reduced opportunities for physical activity, mean clinicians must approach these conversations “with care and empathy for families under pressure”.

The survey also explored GP experiences of prescribing and managing weight loss medicines. Two thirds of respondents said they had seen adults accessing GLP-1 weight loss drugs despite not meeting eligibility criteria. GPs reported cases involving people living with eating disorders and those taking other medications that could interact harmfully with the drugs.

Most of the estimated 1.5 million people in the UK using GLP-1 medicines for weight loss have obtained them privately, with only a small minority receiving them through the NHS, where eligibility criteria are strict.

The wider impact of obesity on health services was also highlighted. 92 per cent of GPs said obesity is likely to be a defining public health challenge during their career, and 95 per cent believed it would significantly affect the NHS’s ability to deliver care. Despite this, 59 per cent felt that weight loss injections could ultimately save the NHS money, compared with 22 per cent who disagreed.