Experts speak out on obesity as weight-loss drug launched

TWO LEADING health experts have questioned a Government minister’s claim that “huge progress” has been made in the battle against obesity.

Minister of State at the Department of Health Mary Wallace made the claim last week when publishing a follow-up report to the National Taskforce on Obesity, published four years ago. However, the report showed that just 18 of the 93 recommendations had been fully implemented.

Yesterday, Prof Patrick Wall of UCD’s public health department said that while progress was being made it was not sufficient. He pointed out that the proportion of overweight and obese people was growing by 1 per cent a year.

Meanwhile, Dr Donal O’Shea, a consultant endocrinologist and director of the Weight Management Clinic at St Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown, said there had been “pockets of activity” but overall very little had been done.

“For the life of me, I can not understand why it is taking so long to implement recommendation that will save millions in terms of deaths from cancer, diabetes and other diseases linked to obesity.”

Dr O’Shea said he was delighted the Department of Health was looking at the issue again – but pointed out that the recommendations would not involve massive investment.

Prof Wall, who is a member of the group reviewing progress on the taskforce report, made his comments at the launch of alli, the first weight-loss medicine to be granted a European-wide licence for over-the-counter sale.

He said a number of good pilot programmes, or “islands of excellence”, had been established to encourage people to eat more healthily or take exercise. However, our consumption of alcohol remained “pathological” while being overweight was being “normalised”.

Meanwhile, children were being bombarded with celebrity endorsement of food by “well-known nutritionists such as Gary Lineker and Posh Spice” and didn’t know the difference between good foods and bad.

The recession offered the best opportunity to turn the tide, he said, because it meant people wouldn’t be ashamed of cycling to work or making their own sandwiches for lunch.

While the taskforce provided the roadmap for making progress, the problem needed a political champion. He expressed concern that current efforts may collapse if Ms Wallace loses her job in this week’s re-organisation of junior ministries.

Dr Martin Henman, senior lecturer at the school of pharmacy in TCD, said it was unfortunate that the obesity taskforce had to be relaunched after so few of its recommendations were implemented. He said the HSE had medicalised the problem and failed to engage with pharmacists to tackle it. “Weight control for most people is not a medical problem; it’s a lifestyle issue.”

Margot Brennan of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute, and a member of the taskforce review group, said progress had been made in all sectors in tackling obesity. However, up to now there had been a lack of joined-up thinking. She said it would be a huge shame if the Government were to target the health promotion budget in its search for cutbacks.

GlaxoSmithKline, which manufactures alli, claims it could help slimmers lose 50 per cent more weight than by dieting alone.

However, Dr O’Shea said he was concerned about the efficacy, though not the safety, of the drug when sold over the counter. “It’s a big ask. Without lifestyle intervention, it won’t work.”

He predicted patients and pharmacists would struggle to find the time to provide lifestyle intervention – such as healthier eating and exercise routines – that could deliver weight loss.

The drug, which works by stopping some of the fat eaten from being absorbed into the body, is intended only for adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 28 kg/m2 or more. It will not be available under the GMS.

Jacinta Hastings of Bodywhys also expressed concern about the possible abuse of alli by people with eating disorders. However, GSK said the drug had a low abuse potential.