PATIENTS must be the size of a sumo wrestler before they can get fat jabs on the NHS, an expert claims.
Prof John Deanfield described the wait time as “crazy” as calls grow to dish them out sooner.
In a speech to a cardiology conference, he said the average body mass index of an NHS patient prescribed Wegovy or Mounjaro was 47.
That compares with 46 for the world champion sumo wrestler, he revealed.
Prof Deanfield, of University College London, told delegates in Munich: “We know that that’s the wrong way to do prevention.
“What we’re effectively doing is waiting until the end of the health trajectory before we give these treatments to our patients.
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“It’s like saying that if you’ve got high cholesterol you have to have a heart attack before you deserve to be treated.”
Patients can be eligible for GLP-1 jabs with a BMI score as low as 27 — but NHS rationing means millions cannot get them.
About two million are estimated to pay £60 to £360 a month privately.
Studies suggest the injections cut the long-term risks of heart diseases and cancers.
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Dr Leyla Hannbeck, of the Independent Pharmacies Association, said: “Prescribing to more patients would ultimately save the health service a packet.”
NHS watchdog the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence said: “People with the highest clinical need are prioritised initially.”
NHS England said: “We remain committed to the rollout of weight-loss meds.”