Obesity

Exams and Tests

Along with a regular medical checkup, you may have some tests to monitor your health.

Your doctor may want to do blood tests to check for type 2 diabetes, thyroid, or liver problems, and high cholesterol or high triglyceride levels.

Your doctor will check your blood pressure, ask about any medicines you are taking and discuss your medical history and your family's medical history. He or she will ask how active you are, whether you drink alcohol (and how much), your history of weight gain, and how often you have tried to lose weight.

Knowing your waist size along with your body mass index (BMI) can help your doctor check your risk for type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Use the Interactive Tool: Weight and Health Risks to find your BMI.

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Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS	Last Updated: April 20, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology & Metabolism
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