Today is World Obesity Day and the focus is on changing systems for healthier lives, as experts predict that one in four people globally will live with obesity by 2035.
Monash University Professor Wendy Brown can discuss obesity generally, the success and relative safety of bariatric surgery in Australia as systems improve, and moves to improve the definition of obesity.
Available to comment:
Professor Wendy Brown, Monash University Department of Surgery Head, The Alfred’s Oesophago-Gastric-Bariatric Unit Director, and Bariatric Surgery Registry Clinical Lead
Contact details: +61 3 9903 4840 or [email protected]
Generally available Tuesday 4 March, apart from 1.30-3pm AEDT.
Read more of Professor Brown’s commentary at Monash Lens
- Obesity and new treatments
- Bariatric surgery
- Maintaining healthy weight-loss goals
The following can be attributed to Professor Brown:
“With the new criteria proposed by The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Obesity Commission we finally have a medically meaningful way of diagnosing obesity, meaning we can tailor the treatment plan according to the patient’s needs.
“With obesity affecting more than one billion people world-wide, it is critical that we continue research into better options for both treatment and prevention. We also need to make effective treatments such as medications and bariatric surgery more widely available as at the moment, they are very difficult to source in the public sector.
“Our recent research showing that bariatric surgery in Australia is relatively safe should also reassure patients, their loved ones and payers such as government and insurers that bariatric surgery is safe, effective and delivers great health improvement. It will also help to inform more accurate patient consent, so patients have an idea of what they can realistically expect to achieve after an operation and what the risks are.
“The safety of bariatric surgery means we can safely offer people a way to lose and keep off a substantial amount of weight, offering an opportunity to reverse or improve many health problems. Usually they will have tried other ways of losing weight prior to being offered surgery.
“The ability to have 61 per cent of people who were being treated for diabetes at the time of their bariatric surgery come off all medications at five years is another major benefit, not just for the individual, but also for our community in terms of health care expenditure.”
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