Obesity and CVD resources for health professionals

Defining overweight and obesity

Resources and further reading

• Definition and diagnostic criteria of clinical obesity

BMI calculators and waist circumference tables

• Heart Foundation: BMI calculator
• Heart Foundation: How to correctly measure your waist
• Department of Health, Disability and Ageing: BMI and waist measurement tool

Calculating waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio

• World Health Organization: Waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio
• Queensland Health: Body measurements (adult) – includes instructions for measuring waist circumference and calculating waist-to-height ratio

Behaviour modifications

Nutrition

Resources and further reading

• Eat for Health: Daily energy requirements calculator
• Eat for Health resources
• Heart Foundation nutrition position statements and evidence summaries and reviews
• Heart-healthy recipes
• Reading food labels and other resources
• RACGP: Smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity (SNAP)
• Refer to PHN HealthPathways for local referral pathways to nutrition supports
• LiveLighter: Recipes, practical tips and resources
• Healthy Eating With No Money & No Time

Physical activity

Resources and further reading

• RACGP: Smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity (SNAP)
• Department of Health: 24-hour movement guidelines for all Australians (2026)
• AUSactive and Sports Medicine Australia: Pre-exercise screening
• Heart Foundation: Physical activity resources for health professionals
• Heart Foundation Walking
• LiveLighter: Recipes and resources

Sleep

Resources and further reading

• RACGP: Assessment and management of insomnia in adults
• Sleep Health: Primary care resources
• Australian Prescriber: Management of insomnia in primary care

Pharmacological and surgical interventions

Pharmacotherapy

Resources and further reading

• Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG)
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
• Australian Diabetes Society clinical recommendations

Surgical interventions

Resources and further reading

• National Association of Clinical Obesity Services: Find a service
• RACGP: Bariatric–metabolic surgery guide
• Healthdirect: Guide to bariatric surgery (2024)
• Better Health Channel: Obesity surgery
• Australian Journal of General Practice: Bariatric surgery (2025)
• ANZMOSS: Public bariatric surgery framework
• ASMBS/IFSO: Indications for metabolic and bariatric surgery