Obesity Abstracts

Over the last few years, the number of referrals and demand for weight management services has significantly increased. This has in part been due to the introduction of novel medical therapies, recognition of co-morbidities associated with obesity during the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise in people living with obesity. This rise in demand has occurred at a time of financial austerity within the NHS and without the necessary investment in workforce required to address the deman...

Until recently, only two medications were licenced and approved by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for weight loss, orlistat and liraglutide. Semaglutide 2.4mg was launched in September 2023. Both liraglutide and semaglutide belong to a class of drugs called GLP-1 analogues, also used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Successful weight loss outcomes for GLP-1 analogues has led to increased global demand and shortages. In June 2023, a National Pat...