Guidance for obesity treatment launched

New guidelines on the treatment of obesity have been launched at a conference in Belfast today.

Local best practice body, the Clinical Resource Efficiency Support Team (CREST) have produced the guidelines, which focus on care models for weight management.

Obesity is a major health problem in Northern Ireland, with at least 17% of men and 20 % of women being classed as clinically obese.

Speaking at the launch, Dr Tom Trinick, Consultant at the Ulster Hospital, said: "Obesity is a major health problem in Northern Ireland. Almost one in five adults are now classed as clinically obese.

"These new guidelines focus mainly on changing people’s eating behaviours and increasing physical activity. Drug therapy is also recommended in some cases and surgery may be appropriate for a small number of patients."

To help address this problem, the new guidelines also focus on developing strategies for early identification of obesity in childhood.

The Clinical Resource Efficiency Support Team is a multi-professional voluntary body comprised of the main specialties of the medical profession and includes membership from DHSSPS and from Nursing, Pharmacy, Allied Health Professions and Clinical Psychology.

(MB)