Development Of a Multidisciplinary Obesity Service at South Eastern Sydney




			30 September 2008 Multidisciplinary Obesity Service NSW Health has announced a comprehensive state wide health strategy to address overweight and obesity in children and adults. The planned implementation is a four year, phased roll-out of medical, clinical and surgical procedures. The strategy has the following key components: Social marketing - including promoting the importance of water consumption as a healthy alternative to soft drinks, messages to get active for an hour or more a day, turn off TV or computer, and eat more fruit and vegetables, and fewer snacks. Early intervention - includes the establishment of a nutrition, physical activity and overweight advisory service. Research activity - the establishment of a single Centre for Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Research. Access to multidisciplinary medical and surgical services. Preliminary planning is underway to establish a Multidisciplinary Obesity Management Service in SESIH. The service will provide lifetime weight management plans including weight loss techniques, dietary plans, exercise programs, support groups, and behaviour and lifestyle modifications. Research has shown that combining a variety of weight loss and management techniques increases the likelihood of long term success in weight management. Surgical intervention (Bariatric surgery) is considered only when all other efforts have failed. This is major surgery performed on severely obese patients, whose health is compromised by their obesity, and who have been unsuccessful in achieving significant weight loss by non surgical means. Information on the progress of the service will be continually updated on the SESIH website. When the services are operational a contact phone number for enquiries will be posted. It is anticipated that the Multidisciplinary Obesity Service will begin seeing patients in mid to late 2009. In the meantime, if you require further information about your individual circumstances and care, please contact your GP for advice. For a range of related health information, go online to: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/ http://www.movementmedicine.com.au/weight_loss http://www.diabetes.org.au/ http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/obesityguidelines-index.htm