Prevention check
Should I be referred to a weight loss program?
The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that clinicians offer or refer adults with obesity to an intensive program that combines diet and activity changes. Enter your height and weight to see where you fall.
About you
Nothing you enter leaves this page.
What you will see
Your BMI and whether the USPSTF recommends an intensive weight loss program for you.
Educational only, not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about weight.
Source
US Preventive Services Task Force, September 2018 recommendation on behavioral weight loss interventions to prevent obesity-related illness and death in adults.
Validated in
Adults 18 or older.
Limits
BMI is a rough measure and does not show body fat directly. This check does not cover weight loss surgery or devices, and the 2018 review predates newer weight loss medicines.
What the USPSTF recommends
| Who | Recommendation | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Adults with a BMI of 30 or higher | Offer or refer to intensive, multicomponent behavioral interventions | B |
The statement also lists related USPSTF advice by weight and risk. Intensive behavioral counseling is advised for overweight adults (BMI 25 to 29.9) with high blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol, and for adults with abnormal blood sugar or diabetes from a normal weight up. Otherwise, the decision is individual (USPSTF 2018).
| BMI | Category |
|---|---|
| 25 to 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30 to 34.9 | Obesity, class 1 |
| 35 to 39.9 | Obesity, class 2 |
| 40 or higher | Obesity, class 3 |
These are the categories the USPSTF uses (USPSTF 2018). Work out yours with the BMI calculator.
Why it matters
More than 35% of men and 40% of women in the US have obesity. It is linked to higher risk of coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, several cancers, gallstones and disability, and to a higher risk of death, especially before 65 (USPSTF 2018).
What the programs look like
Programs that worked combined diet changes with more physical activity and aimed for 5% or more weight loss, which the FDA considers clinically important. Most lasted 1 to 2 years with 12 or more sessions in the first year, and focused on problem solving, self-monitoring of weight, peer support and preventing relapse. Many gave tools such as pedometers or food scales (USPSTF 2018).
How much they help
At 12 to 18 months, people in the programs lost about 2.4 kg (5.3 lb) more than people in control groups, and were about twice as likely to lose 5% of their weight (USPSTF 2018). In people with obesity and raised blood sugar, the programs lowered the risk of developing type 2 diabetes over 1 to 9 years by about a third (USPSTF 2018). Harms were small to none (USPSTF 2018).
Common questions
What about weight loss medicines?
The 2018 review looked at liraglutide, lorcaserin, naltrexone with bupropion, orlistat and phentermine with topiramate. Adding medicine to a program gave more weight loss, but the trials were highly selective and many people dropped out, so the USPSTF encouraged clinicians to make behavioral programs the main focus (USPSTF 2018). Newer medicines were not part of that review. Ask your clinician about them.
Does this cover weight loss surgery?
No. Surgery and devices such as gastric balloons were outside the scope of the review (USPSTF 2018).
Also see the BMI calculator, the waist-to-height ratio, the diabetes screening check, the metabolic syndrome criteria and all screening tests by age.
Sources
- US Preventive Services Task Force. Behavioral Weight Loss Interventions to Prevent Obesity-Related Morbidity and Mortality in Adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2018;320(11):1163. www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/obesity-in-adults-interventions
Written and maintained by the uncovermyrisk.com editorial team. We do not have a medical reviewer; every claim links to its primary source above. Last reviewed: 2026-10-29. Spotted an error? See About.