Obesity: a window of opportunity to intervene? Characteristics and management of morbidly obese adult inpatients in three trusts in Southern England.

Obesity affects 22% of men and 24% of women over the age of 16 years in the general population of the UK and is associated with multiple comorbidities. Little is known about the magnitude of the obesity problem among hospitalised adults and, although significant focus has been given to the identification and treatment of the malnourished inpatient, it is not known to what extent obese inpatients are equally -targeted. National guidelines for consideration of bariatric surgery exist, but it is not known to what extent potentially eligible individuals are referred. This multi-centre study -demonstrates a significant burden of obesity (defined as body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m(2)) among those in hospital, affecting 22% of patients. This was more marked among orthopaedic patients and all-comers to intensive care units than on medical or surgical wards. Of those with BMI ≥35 kg/m(2), only 21% had been reviewed by dietetics and only 10% of patients who were potentially eligible for bariatric surgery had been referred to bariatric services. This study shows that there is an opportunity to recognise obesity and intervene in its management during hospital admission.