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.

Exactly this!

We do have long term data- these drugs have been around a long time

You get what you pay for. Cheap surgery is cheap for a reason.

This is not true. I’ve read most of the threads and most are following a calorie controlled diet of healthy foods and maximising protein. Please stop spreading untruths. The majority are eating healthy and not eating junk or starving themselves. People are concerned about muscle loss and hair loss

And so do I! Particularly @Sussurations point about the ‘moral component’. The judgement on this thread proves that. Would they apply the same standards to smokers, drinkers, or people who were in an accident because they were driving too fast or playing some stupid dare game? (Which I know stretches the point a bit!), all of whom may need expensive, long term treatment.

Obesity costs taxpayers untold billions, and there seems to be a solution worth trying. I genuinely don’t understand the reticence in prescribing the bloody stuff.

No. People who have made lifestyle choices which led them to become overweight should start investing in their health to reduce their burden on the NHS.

Not hating obese people. This is me too.

What tax on healthy food?

I don’t think you know what you’re talking about, not meaning to be rude, but the surgeon I reference is world renowned, frequently gives training/talks to surgeons in the UK, is an associate professor at Alexandria university. I could go on, but he’s been discussed on here before so I won’t bore you.

There are certainly risks going abroad and I didn’t want to go abroad for surgery but this surgeon is recommended on many of the bariatric surgery groups. Very specific, but there are no reports of leaks, which is a potential issue with this type of surgery. Normally I would agree with you re cheap surgery but I could list dozens of people who have had surgery with him and are very happy with the service and follow up.

Yes!

A kg of supermarket carrots cost approximately 65p.

Drive through food outlets, no need to walk there.

Takeaways delivered by Just Eats, and Deliveroo, no need to walk to the shop. Supermarket groceries delivered to your door, no need to walk around the store.

People know what's healthy and what isn't, I just didn't know the proper portion sizes, but still they buy multi packs of crisps, biscuits and pop. These are the items that supermarkets generally have on offer.

I put on nearly 4 stone eating healthily and exercising. Perimenopause ( for some women) can change your metabolism.

I can only eat 1400 calories a day to maintain my weight now. I put on weight because I didn't realise that.

Not all fat people are lazy and stupid as you imply.

Sorry, but no. People should be accountable for themselves, and eat less and move more.

Did you see the article on the Times this week about suspicions that the drug can cause blindness?

NHS already funds access to these programmes and has done for many years. Yet we have a growing obesity crisis…

I’ve known two people to lose huge amounts of weight using medications. Went from being obese to size 8 - size 10. Their prescriptions ended and both are back to obese now. One has since had a heart attack - it’s very sad.

I’m disappointed because I was hoping my mum could give it a go - but she has decided not to. But she’s going well dieting and exercising (low impact due to hip replacements and MS)

I don’t think Labour would do it anyway

I agree, be it financial or lifestyle changes, certainly. However, you could also argue that people who practise risky sport should ensure they have excellent insurance so when they inevitably hurt themselves, they’re not a burden on the NHS.

I dread to think how much my operations (post horse related accident/major chunk of leg ripped off/skin grafts) would have cost in a different country, I know someone in America posted on Reddit that she owed over $100k for a bog standard hernia op because her insurance didn’t cover that type of surgery. I understand that your job often offers insurance but you’re stuck with what they offer, so tough unless you have separate top up insurance.

I'm not paying for someone's cheat-code when all that's needed is to not be a glutton.

Dieting is not rocket science, and anyone who says it's "hormonal" or some excuse like that, well, diet harder.

I know what I’m talking about, you obviously don’t. No matter how good your surgeon is there is an increased risk to surgery abroad, particularly in the Middle East where antibiotic resistant superbugs are significantly more common due to overuse. Untreatable wound infections can and do kill. These people come home from their cheap surgery and expect the NHS to spend £££££ saving their life. It’s not acceptable.

Why are accusing a pp of spreading untruths when she is basing her view on what she has read …. Just as you are. You may not agree with her. So say that but don’t accuse her of spreading lies.

Slimming world is awful from what I've seen of what my colleague is allowed to eat. Seems they are stuck in the low fat craze years.

Oh my gosh that’s quite worrying as well!

I know this is changing the subject and I don’t mean to but I’ve seen a surge of smokers again (not vaping)

Yabu, that's not the solution to losing weight. Healthy eating and keeping active is, that is just a fact even though people don't like it. There are no threads full of people who have turned their lives around and kept the weight off many, many years after injecting themselves and we don't know the long term effects.

Obesity is not the only drain on the NHS and waiting times, alcoholism and drug abuse also take up a lot of bed spaces in hospitals.

Bed space is also taken up by an increasing aging population and closure of rehab centres and lack of care home space etc...

Obesity can only be tackled by better education and opening up access to resources as many can not afford a gym membership

Being obese is a personal problem not a political problem and public funds should not be used to sort it ( or the challenges associated with it but that’s a whole other thread) Go on a diet, save for a gastric band do what you need to do, but take personal responsibility for your lifestyle choices - I don’t want to pay for it thanks!

Perhaps they should invest the money in free gym and leisure centre memberships for all instead.

Best to invest in prevention