The 3 Key Takeaways

• A successful weight loss treatment starts with a health baseline—not with medication. Understanding where you stand is the foundation of effective care.
• Many people have undiagnosed metabolic conditions. A comprehensive baseline assessment can detect them early.
• Knowing your health markers improves safety, enables personalised treatment and makes progress measurable.

Imagine planning a long journey without knowing your starting point. That’s what beginning a weight loss treatment is like if you don’t know where your body stands today.

A baseline assessment—a health check at the beginning of your journey—provides exactly that information. It’s not just an administrative step, but the foundation for treatment that is safe, personalised and measurable. This article explains which health markers matter most—and why.

Why establish a baseline before starting weight loss treatment?

There are three practical reasons:

Safety. Some health markers determine whether and how treatment should be managed, including liver function, kidney function and thyroid health. Because weight loss treatment can affect these systems, it’s important to document your baseline values before you begin.

Personalisation. Two people with the same body weight can have completely different metabolic profiles. Only by understanding your individual health markers can treatment be tailored specifically to you.

Measuring progress and staying motivated. When you know your starting point, you can measure meaningful progress—not only in kilograms lost, but also through improvements in blood sugar, blood lipids, liver health and body composition.

There’s another important point that’s often overlooked: many metabolic conditions remain symptom-free for years. A considerable proportion of seemingly healthy adults unknowingly live with insulin resistance, prediabetes or fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver disease is particularly common in people with impaired glucose metabolism. Around 70% of people with type 2 diabetes are affected (American Diabetes Association Consensus Report, Diabetes Care, 2025), and the condition is strongly associated with excess body weight (Younossi et al., Hepatology, 2016) [3][2].

A baseline assessment makes these conditions visible—while there is still time to take effective action.

Which health markers matter—and why?

The Weight Loss Check-up focuses on the health markers that are most important for metabolic health, cardiovascular risk and safe weight loss treatment.

The key areas include:

• Glucose metabolism and insulin: helps identify insulin resistance or prediabetes early—often before symptoms appear.
• Blood lipids (such as cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides): provide insight into cardiovascular risk, which is closely linked to excess weight.
• Blood pressure: commonly elevated in people with overweight or obesity and a major cardiovascular risk factor.
• Liver health: excess weight is often associated with fatty liver disease—a common condition that can often be improved.
• Kidney function: important for identifying early vascular changes and monitoring overall health.
• Inflammatory markers: may provide insight into chronic low-grade inflammation associated with metabolic disease.
• Body composition (muscle and fat analysis): provides a more detailed understanding of your body composition (see the next section).

These are the key areas covered by the Weight Loss Check-up. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive assessment—including your thyroid function, vitamin levels or iron status—the Full Body Check-up offers a broader evaluation.

Body composition

A kilogram isn’t always just a kilogram. The number on the scale doesn’t tell you whether you’re losing fat or muscle—and that’s exactly what matters during weight loss. A body composition analysis shows your body composition: how much fat and how much muscle you have.

As a baseline, this is valuable because it allows you to measure your progress later on. We explain why this is so important in our article on muscle and body composition.

Why your baseline matters most for your safety

A baseline assessment isn’t just “nice to have.” It helps identify contraindications early (there are situations in which medical weight loss treatment is not recommended) and allows your treatment to be managed safely and tailored to your individual needs.

When it comes to costs: In Switzerland, medication for weight loss is covered by mandatory basic health insurance only under strict conditions and through specialist physicians. The care Weight Loss Programme is independent of this process and is a self-pay service. It is currently not covered by health insurance.

The baseline assessment is therefore primarily about your safety and ensuring an individually tailored treatment, not about qualifying for reimbursement.

How care establishes your baseline: the Weight Loss Check-up

At care, your journey begins with a short eligibility assessment. If a medically supervised weight loss programme is right for you, the Weight Loss Check-up serves as your baseline assessment and is the minimum requirement before starting treatment—designed to be simple and straightforward.

• Blood test, muscle and fat analysis, and blood pressure measurement in one appointment—covering 102 biomarkers, with a focus on cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors.
• Performed at a partner laboratory in Switzerland, usually in less than 20 minutes—no doctor’s appointment required.
• Physician-reviewed results delivered in the app, presented in an easy-to-understand format with clear recommendations (usually within 10–15 days).
• Monthly follow-up measurements so your progress can be tracked over time.

The Weight Loss Check-up covers the key areas discussed in this article: blood lipids, glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, liver function, kidney function, inflammation, blood pressure and body composition. Additional markers (such as thyroid function or vitamin levels) can be added if needed.

A note on costs: If the Weight Loss Check-up is the starting point for a weight loss treatment programme, it is a self-pay service. In this case, supplementary health insurance will generally not reimburse the cost, as the questionnaire has already identified risk factors that the check-up is intended to confirm. (A purely preventive check-up, without any known risk factors, may be reimbursed depending on your supplementary insurance.)

Take the first step: check your eligibility. Entry into a medically supervised weight loss programme begins with a short eligibility assessment. If you’re eligible, the Weight Loss Check-up—your baseline assessment—is the next step. No obligation, physician-reviewed and no pressure.

→ Check your eligibility

In brief

Weight loss treatment doesn't begin with medication—it begins with understanding where you stand. A baseline assessment, including blood tests, blood pressure and body composition, makes treatment more personalised and goal-oriented while identifying previously undetected metabolic conditions at an early stage, when they can still be addressed effectively. First the baseline, then the plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which health markers should be checked before starting weight loss treatment? Typically, these include glucose metabolism (fasting glucose and HbA1c), blood lipids, blood pressure, liver and kidney function, thyroid function, as well as iron and vitamin levels, complemented by a body composition analysis. Your physician will determine which tests are appropriate for your individual situation.

Why isn't the scale enough? The scale only shows your total body weight. It doesn't tell you anything about your body composition or your metabolic risk factors—both of which are more important for safe and successful treatment.

How long does a baseline assessment at care take? The Weight Loss Check-up at a care partner laboratory usually takes less than 20 minutes and includes a blood test, body composition analysis, blood pressure measurement and the assessment of 102 biomarkers. Your results are then reviewed by a physician and are available in the app within approximately 10–15 days.

Do I have to start treatment afterwards? No. A baseline assessment is designed to give you clarity first. What you decide to do next is something you discuss together with your physician.

Medical disclaimer

This article is for general information and health education. It does not replace individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Which examinations make sense for you is decided in a medical assessment. If you have health concerns, please consult a doctor.