Obesity to become a disease of the past, HSE's clinical lead says

People fall into the 'obese' category when they have a body mass index of more than 30. File picture: iStock

Obesity will become a disease of the past thanks to new weight loss medications helping people who struggle most, the HSE's national clinical lead for obesity has said.

Donal O’Shea said "eat less, move more" should not be the treatment plan for people who are already obese. Obesity can lead to heart disease, strokes, and type-2 diabetes.

More than 20% of children and 60% of adults in Ireland are overweight or obese, HSE figures show. People fall into the "obese" category when they have a body mass index of more than 30. A BMI of more than 40 is classed as "severe" obesity by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Prof O’Shea compared obesity to serious health conditions that were common when he was a medical student, which are now rare.

He said that is what will happen with obesity and there will not be "severe and complex obesity" in higher socio-economic groups in the developed world.

“I don’t know what the reach of pharmacotherapy into the less well-off groups is going to be.” 

He said obesity is "going to be a historical phenomenon” and predicted young medical students will not see obese patients.

“I was introducing [students] to one of our in-patients, whose key goal in her six weeks is to be able to put on her own shoes and socks, and saying [to them] 'you will not see this degree of obesity in your lifetime’.”

Prof Donal O’Shea said obesity will become a disease of the past thanks to new weight loss medications. File picture

At the Irish Medical Organisation’s annual general meeting in Killarney, Prof O'Shea urged doctors to ensure access to obesity medications for patients with the chronic condition.

The European Medicines Agency has approved Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk, as a treatment for obesity.

Another product from this company, Ozempic, is approved for diabetes treatment but is also used for obesity in Ireland and globally.

“Ozempic will be old hat in a couple of years’ time because what’s coming is way better, way more effective,” said Prof O'Shea. 

Stigma

He also spoke of the stigma experienced by patients he sees at a specialist HSE weight loss clinic.

He said of one patient: “A GP practice nurse was taking her bloods and said, ‘would you not just stop eating the cupcakes?' Right. 2023.”

He said, instead, the acceptable approach would be, 'is it okay if we discuss your weight today?'.

“Eat less, move more is not the treatment for obesity. Get over it,” he said. “Stop thinking it."

Lifestyle, including exercise and nutrition, is part of weight management and prevention of ill-health, he said, citing studies showing the negative impact of sedentary lifestyles.

Prof O'Shea, who runs a service in Loughlinstown, Dublin, welcomed funding for a new model of care that will see funding for six services.

"There is one just starting up in Mallow and one funded in Galway that is recruiting," he said.