Table 3.

Important factors to evaluate in patient's history

• Is the weight problem recent or longstanding (for example, since childhood)?

• Consider the patient's successful and unsuccessful attempts at losing weight and establish what he or she thinks about them

• What is the patient's attitude to smoking? For example, he or she may not be interested in stopping smoking because they may feel they will gain weight

• How does the patient feel about illness and medication? For example, he or she may relate weight gain to inadequate thyroxine replacement, that weight gain is associated with depression

• Is there a family history of weight problems? Does the patient's partner have weight problems?

• Does the patient believe that their medical, social, or psychological problems are related to their obesity?

• What is the patient's motivation for weight loss or stability?