Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39748290›Full record

Observational studyBMC primary care2025

Recording practices of body mass index, overweight and obesity by Dutch general practitioners: an observational study.

Willemijn J van den Hout, Petra G van Peet, Mattijs E Numans, Dennis O Mook-Kanamori

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMC primary care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Value of measuring waist circumference in primary care: a mixed-methods study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Willemijn J van den HoutDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. w.j.van_den_hout@lumc.nl.ORCID 0000-0001-5767-061X
Petra G van PeetDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Mattijs E NumansDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Dennis O Mook-KanamoriDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRoutine body mass index (BMI) recording in electronic health records (EHR) could support general practitioners (GPs) in managing patients with obesity. This study aimed to evaluate recording practices of BMI, overweight, and obesity in adults including subgroup analysis of age, sex, and comorbidities in primary care in the Netherlands.

methodsAn observational study of individuals aged ≥ 18 years and registered between 2007 and 2023, using routine healthcare data from the Extramural LUMC Academic Network (ELAN) in the Netherlands. Outcomes were (i) incidence rates of a recorded BMIs per 1000 person-years for sex and ten-year age categories (ii) proportions of recorded BMIs for different comorbidities and (iii) proportions of diagnosis of overweight (BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m

resultsApproximately 30% of 676,708 individuals had a recorded BMI. Highest incidence rate (186 per 1000 person-years) was at age 71 to 80 years. At least one BMI was recorded in 68.5% individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 70.6% with hypertension, 86.3% with type II diabetes, 42.4% with eating disorders, 36% with depression and 64.2% with osteoarthritis. Diagnoses of overweight and/or obesity were found in 11.5% individuals with a BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m

conclusionIn the Netherlands, GPs recorded BMIs in nearly one third of all adults, mainly in adults with chronic diseases. Routinely recording BMI is not currently standard practice. With the increasing prevalence of obesity and its related comorbidities, it may be beneficial to start routinely recording BMI in primary care.

Indexed as

Body Mass IndexElectronic Health RecordsObesityOverweightAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overComorbidityFemaleGeneral PractitionersHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsElectronic health recordsIncidenceObesityOverweightPrevalence

Identifiers

PMID39748290
PMCPMC11697458

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.