Labour should invest in weight loss medications immediately

[HowToSaveTheNHS]

AIBU to think the Labour government should seriously consider rolling out weight loss drugs to the obese population, to tackle obesity, diabetes and cut NHS waiting lists? Traditional public health measures to tackle obesity are not working.

We spend so much money treating disease associated with obesity and it’s only going to get worse as increasing numbers of people are living for decades with multiple health conditions associated with obesity. Even dementia’s leading cause is Type 2 diabetes.

Looking at the Mounjaro thread on here, huge numbers of Mumsnetters are successfully losing weight and improving their health. But people on lower incomes won’t have access because the drugs are expensive.

A course of drugs for a year will surely be money well spent if we can reduce heart disease/ diabetes/ dementia/ cancer etc… even hypertension.

Free or low cost gyms would be great, also cooking lessons for kids and cheaper fruit and veg.

They aren't taking the drug and eating junk food though. Dr Phil Spector should really check his facts on how the drug works.

There is no magic fat zapping effect to make fat vanish. The drug doesn't magically make you thin.

People using it are cutting calories and eating healthy food like people do on every other diet.The only difference is that they aren't suffering cravings and hunger pangs while they are doing it so are more likely to sustain.

Most obese people simply don't have the switch that "thin" people have, which switches off the drive to eat after a meal.
That's something that's virtually impossible to overcome and the difficulty is not understood by people with normal food regulating mechanisms.
It's really not as simple as " move more eat less." If it was more than half the population wouldn't be obese.

Yes but that doesn’t answer the question about what happens when you stop taking the tablets and the hunger returns? Are people able to maintain that level of calorie control without the drugs? I’m interested, not trying to spread misinformation 😁

What happens to everybody else that loses weight with or without drugs?
Some will sustain and done won't.
Or should they all just not bother because "thin" people need somebody to judge and feel superior to?

You are absolutely right.

Some people suffer injuries after playing amateur sport at the weekend. Some people self medicate with alcohol and get liver disease. Some people drive appallingly, crash, and suffer life changing injuries. Some people smoke/not bother with contraception/get injured doing diy. I could go on. Bad choices.

Should we refuse them treatment?

For the love of god.

Labour need to I invest in our farmers and cut off the big companies who provide us with all the processed shit we live on because it’s cheap and convenient and we are told it’s the only way to eat.

we do not need weight loss drugs that will fuck up our bodies long term. Humans have never been like this is history. Look at your damned diet and stop looking at quick (dangerous) fixes.

So as I said in my original post ( which I assume you’ve not read) the consequences of being obese and the impact that has on the NhS. Is another whole thread.

becoming obese is indeed a lifestyle choice. It’s not down to politics!

No it's not, I'm being factual to say that not everyone follows a healthy diet and makes life changes while on this AND SUSTAIN IT WHEN THEY STOP. You could still eat shit but just less of it. Im not fat shaming, I am fat. I have looked into it but decided it won't help me overcome my sugar addiction, my emotional eating etc. My friend has lost a substantial amount of weight and has been healthy but spoke of concerns that she isn't sure she can sustain it when she stops. You can't parade it as a one stop shop fix and tell everyone who disagreed with you that they are making false comments. Yes I have read the threads, threads of anonymous people are not proper studies or gospel, like all social media people can show the rosey sides

These weight loss drugs are causing severe gall bladder disease, gastroperesis and blindness in a lot of people. There's a class action going on in the US.

Yanbu

mounjaro is making a huge difference to my life and health and the impact on the nhs and health would be huge

But @Cabbageandcoconut , physical exercise is there for anyone who can do it. It's about three-quarters of a mile on foot to the supermarket, so I walk.

@Fieldsofgold1 , there's a great big free exercise area outside called the outdoors. Fruit and veg aren't expensive if you pick and choose wisely.
As regards weight management, it is a lot easier to not put the weight on than it is to shift it.
As for cooking lessons for kids, there are countless recipes on line, or in cookbooks that can be borrowed from the library. Tesco magazine usually has basic but tasty recipes and advice on meal planning and budgeting. (maybe there are other ones available).

@Arewealljustloosingtheplot

okey doke.

My mum is diabetic and was on liraglutide before everyone went crazy for it for losing weight. She can't get hold of it and no chemist in our county has and they've been trying to get it in for the best part of a year. She's had none in that time and had to go to other tablet based meds.

They already can't keep up with demand. The NHS can't get it but private patients spending hundreds per injection pen somehow can (!!)

The difference with the drugs is that they suppress appetite. So once you stop taking them you have to deal with feeling hungry again. I just wonder if losing weight with the drugs is more or less successful long-term
than without … I’ve considered trying them myself but this is what stops me!

Can you explain then, if obesity is solely a question of good personal decision-making, why , around 30% of women and 28% of men in the UK live with obesity, compared with 22% of women and 23% of men in France, and 20% of women and 21% of men in Italy?

At some point there will be a systematic review or something like it that might provide a partial answer but that's probably some years away.

I've been to have a look at the Mounjaro threads and it's interesting that the OP for the recent threads collects together Mumsnetters' experience of what is needed for sustaining the weight loss and transitioning to no longer being able to obtain the drugs. Also eye-opening to see that some online suppliers are offering 2 years worth of transition rather than cutting people off cold.

Because more of us make shit decisions?

because our culture promotes crap food?

Because some brits are lazy?

im not interested in the ‘convenience foods are cheaper’ bullshit. Because it’s just not true.

Absolutely NOT. People must take responsibility for their own lifestyle choices. Don't think you can ask other people to finance your meds because you can't be arsed to use some effort.

Their are good arguments for tighter control on food standards and taxation on the unsuitable. But don't blame others for what you intentionally put in your mouth.

I wasn't aware of that.
However, now that these products are out there there is a demand for medications which suppress cravings etc.
Demand + large profits to be made = big incentive for pharma to come up with better versions.
No?

Wow. Why so aggressive?! Why these questions? Are you wanting to judge me if I’m overweight or obese?

I will indulge you (but you probably won’t believe me!). I am just over a healthy BMI, but I’m tall and muscular. I am very active, I cycle everywhere. I don’t work for the NHS but in public health. I spent 4 years involved with obesity and diabetes policy and programmes a few years ago (working in partnership with the NHS). I have moved into mental health in recent years and am about to change policy area again.

If I had said I was obese and inactive would that have changed your view of my perspective? If you answer yes, then I think that’s appalling as obese people are the experts … they have the lived experience! They know more about healthy eating than anyone (trust me, I have interviewed so many!). They tend to be serial dieters and they don’t need education or cooking lessons!

As a health economist I think in terms of costs v benefits. I don’t believe moral judgment has any place in this at all. It’s disgraceful that the thread is full of such judgment. I view obesity in the same category as mental illness, gambling or alcohol addiction. It’s a disease that we should be prioritising in public health.

In the US, health insurers are prescribing these medications to the obese population. There is a trial in the NHS so it looks likely that they will be rolled out further once there is more economic evaluation. I have no inside information on this as I no longer work in the field, I’m just curious from a public policy perspective.

It seems to me the cost savings and benefits to the economy could be significant. 2 people close to me in their 50s are obese and both had heart attacks, they had 6 months full sick pay from their NHS jobs and now have ongoing health issues. If they had received meds in their 40s and kept the weight off, they’d be in a better position personally (both struggling to lose weight on SW/WW) and the taxpayer would have saved hundreds of thousands of pounds in sick leave (still ongoing) and ongoing medical care.

@StickItInTheFamilyAlbum
some online suppliers are offering 2 years worth of transition rather than cutting people off cold
Could they be looking to offload their stock before the US lawsuits result in some kind of ban?
(or have I misunderstood you?)

I know someone who put on weight due to a serious degenerative health condition, who needs to lose that weight for an operation but is finding it a real struggle due to lack of mobility (is on the cusp of needing a wheelchair). She is exactly the kind of person weight loss injections are designed to help but hasn't been offered them, or any other kind of help really. In fact, I know a few people who have put on weight because of their genuine inability to exercise and none of them have been offered any help.

I think this thread perfectly highlights the issue Labour faces. Some people think they are going to come in and start throwing money at everything, and not tax them any more, more teachers, reduced waiting lists with everyone offered overtime, gp appts avail, more police, cheap energy, less migration. Christ let’s give everyone free weight loss drugs!

Where are the billions and billions to pay just for the core pledges, what do people think will happen, “tax everyone else but not me I’m skint. “

it’s terrifying how little some people understand of the economy they really need to teach it fully in school.

The amount of money it would save is enormous. Being overweight affects people's health in so many ways.

I agree with you, OP. It should be allowed on prescription if someone is an unhealthy weight. I've been using Mounjaro for six weeks or so and the difference has been incredible. No alcohol, nothing sweet, no thinking about food and able to make good decisions. I've lost just over 1 kg per week, so not in the realm of some who've lost a lot more rapidly, but it's taken that obsessive edge off food and wine and that's been miraculous for me.

I never said “convenience” foods are cheaper., because I don’t believe they are.

If you have money for gas or electricity, decent basic cookware, a few spices, and a functioning kitchen, which not everyone has.

Convenience foods are quick to prepare and bought by many people who work long hours on low wages. Therefore, as Brits work very long hours compared with many countries in Europe, that is bound to have an adverse effect. .

So long working hrs is one factor that contributes to obesity outside of personal choice.

As is the fact that people are influenced by the culture of their country.

And do you really think that there are more lazy Brits than lazy French or Italians? That doesn’t quite add up does it? Especially given that the welfare state in the uk is shaved pretty thin compared with France.