The Genwell weight care programme is here to support adults who are living with overweight or obesity with losing weight and improving their health. It uses a number of strategies, including weight loss medications, wellbeing coaching and support. Many weight loss services have strict BMI cut offs and are not suitable for those with complex medical backgrounds. At Genwell, we know that these medications and services can be beneficial to more people, and we are able to provide the support needed to enable them to access these treatments.
What is BMI and what does it mean for using the Genwell programme?
BMI (or Body Mass Index) is a measurement that is calculated using a person’s height and weight. BMI is often used as a cut-off value to decide if someone is eligible for certain treatments. Whilst it is cheap and internationally accepted a reproducible measure of weight, using BMIs alone can underestimate an individuals' risk of weight related health conditions. Body weight is made up of a mixture of fat, water, bone and organ weight. Your BMI doesn't calculate the amount of fat in your body or where we store it, both of which really matter. We know that ethnicity also matters when it comes to the risk of weight-related health conditions like heart disease and diabetes (which can develop at lower body weights in certain groups). In order to ensure GLP-1 medications are available to those who may benefit, lower cut offs are used in these groups to reduce their risks.
At Genwell, BMI, ethnicity and medical background are all taken into consideration. We are able to accept adults with:
- BMI over 30kg/m2
- BMI over 27.5kg/m2 from the following ethnic groups:
- South Asian
- East or Southeast Asian
- Black, African, Caribbean or Black British
- Middle Eastern or North African
- Other or mixed ethnic background
- BMI over 25kg/m2 of any ethnicity with at least one of the following diagnoses, or with a history of not being able to lose weight by any other method:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Cardiovascular disease (conditions affecting the blood vessels in the body and around the heart, including angina, previous heart attacks, peripheral vascular disease, TIAs or strokes)
- Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (or MASLD)
- Prediabetes, type 2 diabetes or previous gestational diabetes
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
- Chronic back pain
- Osteoarthritis affecting the hip or knee
- Acid reflux (requiring medication)
Who cannot sign up for the Genwell programme?
Due to the nature of GLP-1 medications, it is not safe for people who meet the following criteria to take part in the Genwell programme:
- Pregnant and/or breastfeeding
- Type 1 diabetes
- Previous GLP-related pancreatitis
- Current or previous history of an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia)
- Currently undergoing active cancer treatment
- Allergy or hypersensitivity to GLP-1 type medications
- Severe heart failure
- Severe disease affecting the bowel (such as inflammatory bowel disease, gastroparesis or chronic malabsorption syndrome)
- Severe chronic kidney disease
- Personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2
People meeting the following criteria require review with a GP prior to commencing the Genwell programme, or they may require additional monitoring or tailoring of their programme:
- Gallstone disease (where the gallbladder is still present)
- Diabetic eye disease
- Previous bariatric (weight loss) surgery
- Taking certain medications - including those used in treating diabetes, thyroid problems and high blood pressure, blood thinners and hormone based medications
What our clinical experts say
At Genwell, your care is led by experienced doctors. That means you will receive a detailed assessment and that the service can offer a broader eligibility including patients with more complex medical conditions and personalised treatment adjustments to support safe, sustainable results.
Dr Caroline Butler
Genwell reflections
The Genwell weight care programme is designed to give as many people as possible access to holistic and effective weight loss treatment to maximise metabolic and overall health. Our team consists of a wide range of clinical experts, so we are well equipped to create a bespoke treatment plan that works for you.
- The Genwell programme is designed for adults over the age of 18 who are living with obesity, looking to lose weight and improve their health and wellbeing
- Genwell is also suitable for those who live with obesity or are overweight and have other weight-related medical problems
- Some medications or previous medical problems mean that the programme needs to be modified or monitored in a different way - at Genwell, we have the expertise to do this safely
- The Genwell doctors will carefully assess your health to confirm whether the programme is safe for you
- If you have any questions about our eligibility criteria or whether this programme may be suitable for you, please get in touch with us via email at support@genwell.co.uk