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BMI Risk

BMI Risk

Find out your risk of developing certain long-term conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and stroke, using the most advanced BMI assessment tool.

How it works

Step 1

Go to your account dashboard and look for the BMI Risk tool

A smartphone screen displaying a health app showing a BMI risk meter with a reading of 23.4. The background is pink with shield icons.
Step 2

If you have not completed your health profile, the BMI Risk tool will be locked. Select the ‘Complete assessment’ button

A smartphone screen displaying a health app with a BMI risk assessment section. The screen shows a "Complete assessment" button and a navigation bar at the top. The background is pink with shield icons.
Step 3

Now complete the assessment questionnaire

A smartphone screen displaying a question, "What is your waist size in inches?" with an input box filled with the number 35. The background is pink with a repeated shield pattern.
Step 4

You will now be graded with a risk score, and redirected to the tool on your dashboard

A smartphone screen displays a health app with a BMI Risk tool showing a BMI of 30.4, indicated in a risk category. The background has a pattern of shield icons.
Step 5

If your score indicates a risk then you will see a warning sign. Click the warning sign and you will now be able to see an advisory message advising you what to do

A smartphone screen displays a warning message about high BMI risk, advising lifestyle changes and consulting a doctor to prevent complications like diabetes.
Step 6

If you are graded as obese, then we will automatically check if you qualify for weight loss treatments. If you are, you will see a recommendation appear on the Weight Loss Programs tool which you can select to proceed to a Weight Loss consultation

A smartphone screen displaying a health app with sections for "My Favorite Tools", "Weight Loss Programs", and "My Documents" including "Symptoms Checker".
Step 7

Every 3 months, we recommend that you repeat the assessment or update your health profile. Your risk may change as you adapt your lifestyle by implementing healthy living advice provided or if you are prescribed a weight loss treatment

A smartphone screen displays a notification about BMI risk and prompts the user to complete an assessment. The background is pink with shield icons.

Service Guide

Everything you need to know about the BMI Risk tool

What is the BMI Risk tool?

The BMI Risk tool is a clinical risk measure of healthy weight that applies to adult men and women. A healthy weight is a number that is associated with a low risk of weight-related diseases and health issues.

Do I need to pay to use the BMI Risk tool?

No. The tool is free to use after you have created a NowPatient account.

How is the NowPatient BMI Risk tool different to traditional BMI calculations?

Traditional BMI calculations only use your height and weight to determine if you are at a healthy weight.

The NowPatient BMI Risk tool is an advanced measure that also takes into consideration other parameters such as your age, sex, and ethnicity. For example, If you’re from a black and ethnic minority group, you’re at increased risk of type 2 diabetes with a BMI of 23 or more.

What are the limitations of the NowPatient BMI Risk tool?

If you have an eating disorder, the BMI score results do not apply. Please get further advice from your doctor or other health care professional.

The BMI calculation does not include muscle mass, which weighs more than fat. This means muscular adults and athletes may be classed as overweight or obese even though their body fat is low. Adults who lose muscle as they get older may fall into the healthy weight range even though they may be carrying excess fat.

In addition, for pregnant users, the BMI calculations should not be relied upon when using pregnancy weight.

What do I need to do to get my BMI Risk information?

NowPatient uses the data in your health profile to automatically determine your risk. If your health profile is not up to date, you can select the BMI Risk tool on your dashboard and complete the assessment manually.

The BMI Risk tool uses the following special category data:

  • Age
  • Height
  • Weight
  • Ethnicity
  • Waist size

What do the risk scores mean?

The below table highlights the meaning behind your risk score.

Score

Risk Category

Advice

Below 18.5

Underweight

It is very important that you speak to your doctor

18.5 – 24.9

Healthy weight

No action

25-29.9

Overweight

You are classed as high risk. Making changes to diet and exercising or increase activity, can reduce your chances of developing weight related, long term health complications like diabetes

It is very important that you speak to your doctor about having a blood test to check for conditions like diabetes, as you can have type 2 diabetes for years without knowing.

30 and over

Obese

You are classed as very high risk. Making changes to diet and exercising or increase activity, can reduce your chances of developing weight related, long term health complications like diabetes.

It is very important that you speak to your doctor about having a blood test to check for conditions like diabetes, as you can have type 2 diabetes for years without knowing.

If you are an NHS patient, Your doctor can also refer you to weight management clinics to help you reduce your weight.

You may also qualify for NowPatient weight loss programs, which is a private treatment plan service.

Why should I need to know my BMI score?

By using the NowPatient BMI Risk tool, we can identify if you are at risk of developing certain long-term conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and stroke. We can then provide you with interventions such as weight management and lifestyle modification advice. Reducing BMI has been shown to reduce the incidence of weight-related long-term health conditions.

Why do you use my waist size?

Although we do not use this in the NowPatient BMI Risk calculation, waist size is important because carrying too much fat around your stomach can raise your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke, even if you have a healthy BMI.

If your waist size is:

  • >94cm (37ins) for men
  • >80cm (31.5ins) for women

It means you are carrying too much fat around your stomach which can raise your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. We recommend that you try and lose weight.

If your waist size is:

  • >102cm (40ins) for men
  • >88cm (34ins) for women

It means you are carrying too much fat around your stomach which can raise your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. We recommend that you try and lose weight. You have a very high risk of developing long-term health conditions. You should make an appointment with your GP.

How do I measure my waist size?

To measure your waist size, follow the following steps:

  1. Find the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips
  2. Wrap a tape measure around your waist midway between these points
  3. Breathe out naturally before taking the measurement

What should I do if my score puts me at risk of developing long-term conditions?

If the BMI Risk tool puts you ‘at risk’ of developing long-term health conditions, you can raise this with your doctor, at your next appointment. NowPatient can also qualify you for risk reducing strategies such as a weight loss interventions. If you qualify for weight loss treatments, you will see this appear on the BMI Risk tool as a recommendation. NowPatient also provides you will healthy living and lifestyle modulating strategies that can help you reduce your weight and risks to long term conditions. Examples include interventions around diet and exercise.

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WHY WE BUILT NOWPATIENT

We are committed to helping everyone, everywhere live healthier lives

The NowPatient virtual care platform provides you with access to trusted health information, affordable treatments, management of chronic health conditions and continuous monitoring for health risks. NowPatient can be accessed by downloading the App or using your web browser.

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Your Questions Answered

For your peace of mind, we can answer your questions quickly

What does NowPatient do?

NowPatient is an online pharmacy & telehealth service that is available in the US and UK. Our service is FREE and packed with useful features that can help you save money on the cost of your medications, access virtual treatments, and provide tools that can help improve your overall health.

Get started today and benefit from medication remindersGet Treated PrivatelyNHS online pharmacyGP appointment bookingRx savings cardDrug CouponsUS drug savings programshealth conditions informationgenetic testinghome test kitsBMI RisksType 2 Diabetes Riskspollen meterair quality monitor, and lots more!

Our service is operated by experienced medical professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom. You can view the online services that we provide by clicking Features.

UK users can safely and securely buy medicines online that treat a wide range of medical conditions. UK customers can also order NHS prescriptions online with the benefit of free tracked delivery.

US customers, regardless of insurance coverage, can enjoy huge savings on prescription medications using our various drug savings programs including drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.

Where is NowPatient located?

NowPatient has offices in the United Kingdom and United States.

In the UK, we are located at:

NowPatient
28 Chipstead Valley Road
Coulsdon
Surrey
CR52RA

In the US, we are located at:

NowPatient
8911 North Capital of Texas Highway
Suite 4200 #1263
78759
Austin, TX

How can I contact NowPatient?

To contact NowPatient, please use the contact form available on the Contact Us page.

Alternatively, if you need to speak to us, you can reach us on the following numbers:

UK telephone number – 020 388 51 500
US telephone number – 1-866-967-1977

Who owns NowPatient?

NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.

Our website is www.nowpatient.com. Our App is called “NowPatient” and can be downloaded from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).

Can you tell me more about your NHS online pharmacy?

NowPatient’s Pharmaceutical services in the UK are provided by Infohealth Limited trading as ‘Infohealth Pharmacy’.

Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).

Medicines are not ordinary items of commerce. All medicines or healthcare product sales are made under the supervision of a registered pharmacist who is licensed by the GPhC. At all times, we endeavour to provide a professional and transparent service whose primary goal is to ensure that the best interests of the patient are served.

How do I make a complaint?

From time to time, we accept that our service levels may not be up to your expectations. NowPatient welcomes concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us learn from your experiences and make improvements. Feedback can be provided via our clear and transparent Complaints Procedures.

Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s prescribing services for treatments offered?

Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:

• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• transport services, triage, and medical advice are provided remotely
• caring for adults over 65 years old
• caring for adults under 65 years old

NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla.

Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s US services?

Our head of US services is Dr. Jamie Winn.

You can lower the cost of your prescription medications using our various savings programs which include drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.

We do not provide any prescribing services or dispensing services in the United States.

Is NowPatient legit and can I trust information from NowPatient?

Yes. NowPatient provides trustworthy and accessible clinical, health education and prescription services. We are also trusted by the NHS to deliver clinical and NHS repeat prescription dispensing across the whole of England. In the United States, we work with over 65,000 pharmacies to deliver considerable costs savings for our users.

NowPatient is operated by experienced licensed medical professionals in the United Kingdom and United States. Our Medical Team can be found here.

Our service is trusted by thousands of patients worldwide. You can read their reviews on our Trustpilot:

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What are NowPatient’s opening hours?

Our office hours are:

UK – Monday-Friday 9am-6pm GMT
US – Monday-Friday 8am-5pm EST

Please note that we are closed at weekends.

In the event of a medical life-threatening emergency please call:

UK – 999
US – 911

In the event of a medical emergency which is not life-threatening please call:

UK – 111

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