From stigma to systemic change: Calls for radical shift in Australia’s obesity narrative

Over 15 million Australians live with overweight or obesity, affecting two in three adults and one in four children. A new White Paper from Eli Lilly, developed in collaboration with key stakeholders and launched at Parliament House yesterday, calls for a shift in the narrative surrounding anti-obesity medications and the prioritisation of care.

Beyond the heightened risk of death, disability, and hospitalisations, those living with obesity often endure stigma and mental health challenges stemming from weight-related judgments.

Dr Kathryn Williams, an endocrinologist and obesity specialist at the Obesity Collective, emphasised the need for a fresh perspective.

“If obesity is to be framed as a disease, it might mean that people get treatment and support when they need it. Especially when they have no capacity to pay or if they are living in areas with higher rates of obesity but less access to healthcare services,” she explained.

Dr Williams underscored the importance of system-wide change, saying “What we really need now is formal accountability to system change and access to treatments. We need all levels of government, healthcare professionals, and industry to be working together to get to the bottom of the issues that we are facing and to start designing collaborative solutions. We need to help people who have severe obesity who need treatment now.”

Sandra D’Souza, who has lived with obesity, shared her personal struggles.

“Being overweight affected every aspect of my life. I felt trapped in a cycle of guilt and frustration, believing my inability to maintain a healthy weight was my fault. Society’s stigma surrounding obesity only made these feelings worse,” she said.

D’Souza highlighted the transformative impact of comprehensive care, saying “With a multi-disciplinary approach, combining medical treatment with a structured program of healthy eating and exercise, the transformation for me was incredible. My journey highlighted significant gaps in the current approach to weight management.

“There’s an urgent need to shift the blame from individuals and recognise the shared responsibility in addressing obesity. Policymakers must understand that effective weight management requires a collaborative effort involving healthcare providers, communities, and individuals.”

Obesity is linked to at least 30 non-communicable diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular conditions, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, contributing to 8.4% of Australia’s total disease burden. The economic cost is projected to soar to $65.8 billion by 2030.

Currently, five anti-obesity medications, including GLP-1 receptor agonists like Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy (semaglutide), have received TGA registration. However, none have yet been listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for overweight and obesity management.

Dr Georgia Rigas, a general practitioner specialising in obesity and metabolic health and an advisor at The Obesity Collective, raised concerns about delayed treatment.

“Research we conducted showed that there is almost a nine-year delay from when people living with obesity first start to be impacted by their disease, and when they had an initial consult with their doctor about this. During this time, many of these people will progress to even more severe stages of obesity and they could develop health complications of obesity, some of which are irreversible.

“For many, this is due to weight bias and discrimination, which is pervasive in our society, including amongst healthcare providers and policymakers. This results in delayed presentations often with more severe disease and inadequate healthcare provision. We need to accept a shared responsibility, and importantly, collaborate to change this,” she stated.

Dr Rigas also pointed out critical barriers to effective treatment with the “inequity of access to obesity disease-modifying medications and metabolic bariatric surgery”.

Tori Brown, General Manager of Lilly Australia and New Zealand, called for a comprehensive approach, saying “In order to meet the increasing challenges of overweight and obesity, we need better commitment to embracing long-term multi-disciplinary person-centred care.

“Australians deserve access to comprehensive care including medical, lifestyle, and surgical support. This includes a new generation of anti-obesity medications that can play an important role in improving quality of life and reducing complications for people with obesity, as well as reducing mortality and associated costs.”

Brown warned of the consequences of inaction: “Lack of consideration around the complexity of obesity in health policy and healthcare systems will continue to exacerbate the risks and rates of this disease, especially socio-economically disadvantaged populations or those living in rural and remote regions.”

The White Paper, developed with input from Australian clinicians and First Nations community-controlled health organisations, presents three key recommendations for transforming obesity care in Australia:

• Make Obesity a National Public Health Priority
• Support Person-Centred Conversations in Healthcare
• Fund Equitable Access to Evidence-Based Interventions

In reimagining healthcare, Health Industry Hub^TM is the ONLY one-stop-hub uniting the diversity of Pharma, MedTech, Diagnostics & Biotech sectors to inspire meaningful change. The exclusive leadership and influencer podcasts and vodcasts offer unparalleled insights and add immense value to our breaking news coverage.

The Health Industry Hub^TM content is copyright protected. Access is available under individual user licenses. Please click here to subscribe and visit T&Cs here.