Obesity Matters

On December 7, 2023, the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science hosted a pivotal roundtable, "Rethinking Obesity: Impact on Healthcare Economics and Clinical Practice," uniting experts across health and life sciences to explore transformative approaches in obesity treatment. Key discussions included: 🔹 The Role of Anti-Obesity Medications: These new treatments offer a landmark opportunity to address obesity as a complex, chronic disease linked to multiple co-morbidities. 🔹 Healthcare Economics: The long-term value of these interventions goes beyond initial costs, promising significant savings for health systems. 🔹 Expanding Access and Reimbursement: A call for public and private payers to reassess their approach to enable broader patient access to these critical therapies. 🔹 Disrupting Clinical Practice: Advocating for a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to obesity care that integrates pharmaco-therapy with lifestyle changes. 🔹 Addressing Stigma: Highlighting the need to overcome biases that hinder access to obesity treatment. 🔹Supporting Global Action: The importance of integrated efforts in low - and middle-income countries to curb the obesity epidemic. Thank you for your valuable contributions, Johanna Ralston, John Cawley, Katherine Saunders, MD, John Steele, Ken Thorpe and Murray Aitken. Your insights are crucial as we continue to advocate for comprehensive and accessible obesity care. The roundtable's findings reinforce the need for innovative, patient-centered approaches in both policy and practice. Let’s work together to transform obesity care for a healthier future. #ObesityMatters #PatientAdvocacy #HealthEconomics #ClinicalPractice #IQVIA https://lnkd.in/gFufxZU7

Eli Lilly is making significant changes to expand access to its weight loss drug, Zepbound, by lowering prices for the two lowest doses. The lower-cost doses are only available through Lilly's telehealth platform, LillyDirect and patients must pay out-of-pocket, as these doses won’t be covered by insurance or eligible for Lilly’s discount savings program. The medication will be sold in vials instead of auto-injector pens, requiring patients to use a syringe. This move addresses ongoing supply issues and aims to broaden access, but some patients may find the transition to vials challenging. What do you think—will this new pricing model make Zepbound more accessible, or will the challenges outweigh the benefits? 👇 #ObesityTreatment #EliLilly #Zepbound #WeightLoss #PatientCare #HealthEquity https://ow.ly/79CT50T7Tb7

🍽 Bien des gens cèdent à l'envie de manger émotionnellement, que ce soit pour gérer le stress ou parce qu'ils se sentent tristes. Mais pourquoi faisons-nous cela? Y a-t-il un moyen de changer nos habitudes? La réponse est oui! Voici six conseils utiles pour freiner l'alimentation émotionnelle! #ParlonsObésité

MOTIVATION MONDAY 💪 Weight management is about more than just dieting; it's about adopting sustainable techniques, behaviours, and processes to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and body composition. Managing your weight is essential for staying fit and reducing the risk of serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. Research shows that over one in three adults in the U.S. lives with obesity or overweight, and about 17% of children are affected. These conditions are linked to a higher risk of various health issues, making effective weight management crucial. Each person’s weight management journey is unique, and this article delves deeper into these strategies, offering practical tips and insights to help you achieve your health goals: ✅ Get Physically Active: Ensure your energy intake matches physical activity levels. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. ✅ Eat Nutritious Foods: Focus on nutrient-dense, low-calorie, and fiber-rich foods, while limiting ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks. ✅ Practice Portion Control: It’s not about restrictive dieting, but eating the right amount of food your body needs. ✅ Stay Hydrated: Water boosts metabolism, aids digestion, and helps control appetite. ✅ Avoid Late Meals: Studies suggest that late-night eating may increase the risk of weight gain ✅ Consider Intermittent Fasting: Intermittent fasting can be an effective weight management tool for some individuals. ✅ Manage Stress: Excessive stress can lead to weight gain, so incorporating stress management techniques like yoga is beneficial. ✅ Get Quality Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to support your body’s recovery, digestion, and stress levels. Weight management can be challenging, but you don’t need to do it alone. If you find that you haven’t lost weight or find it difficult to maintain your weight, consider seeking help from your healthcare provider. A healthcare team that includes your primary care provider, registered dietitian (RD) or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), therapist, and fitness expert can support and guide your journey and help you meet your goals. Involving your loved ones, working with your healthcare team, and celebrating your milestones can help keep you motivated. Read the full article on Health.com: https://lnkd.in/giMUpuSP #ObesityMatters #WeightManagement #HealthyLiving #WellnessJourney #HolisticHealth

According to a new study led by UCL’s Professor John Deanfield CBE, the anti-obesity medication semaglutide may also help prevent heart attacks and other major adverse cardiac events in people with overweight having cardiovascular disease, whether or not they also have heart failure. The SELECT trial, one of the largest of its kind, revealed that semaglutide could reduce major adverse cardiac events by 28% and cardiovascular-related deaths by 24% in people with pre-existing heart failure. This groundbreaking study, published in The Lancet, shows that semaglutide’s benefits extend beyond weight management, offering new hope for those at risk of serious heart conditions. #CardiovascularHealth #ObesityResearch #Semaglutide #Wegovy #Ozempic #Lancet #SELECTTrial Read the full article here: https://ow.ly/BGKJ50T61H2 Disclaimer: This image is AI-generated and is not part of the original article.

At the Your Health Matters Summit, Shilpa Joshi shared her transformative journey, highlighting the challenges of misinformation and stigma in weight management. 🌟 Shilpa emphasized the importance of community and accurate information in overcoming these obstacles. Her advice? Give yourself grace and time, and seek supportive networks that empower your health goals. Watch the full session here: https://lnkd.in/gb4aKSfc #YourHealthMatters #WeightManagement #CommunitySupport #MilestoneMoment

Leaders in Health: Dr. Sean Wharton and compassion in obesity medicine Obesity Matters https://lnkd.in/griwjetx

FOODIE FRIDAY 🌿 High Protein Teriyaki Tofu Bowl 🥢🍲👇🏼. You’ve got to try this tasty recipe for your next lunch or dinner! Credit/Repost @tessbegg  Save this video for later and follow for more recipes! Serves 2 Sauce: 2 tbsp tamari sauce 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 tbsp cornflour/starch 2 tbsp water 1 tbsp minced ginger 2 garlic cloves, minced Tofu: 300g firm tofu 1 tbsp corn flour Pinch of salt and pepper Cooking oil Other: Steamed rice 200g frozen edamame, boiled 1 spring onion shoot, sliced 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds 1 avocado, halved and sliced Press the tofu to remove any water and dice into cubes. Add to a bowl with cornflour, salt and pepper. Toss to coat the tofu. Mix the sauce ingredients together. Heat a frypan over medium/high heat and add a tbsp of oil. Cook the tofu until golden all over. Pour in the sauce and toss. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Serve in a bowl with the rice, edamame, avocado, sesame and spring onions. Drizzle on some vegan mayo if you like. Enjoy! #veganrecipes #healthyrecipes #foodiefriday

Check out CNBC’s Angelica Peebles in conversation with  Eli Lilly chairman and CEO Dave Ricks discussing the groundbreaking results from Lilly's 3-year obesity study. Zepbound reduced the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 94% in adults with overweight and obesity who had prediabetes, compared to a placebo. This is Lilly’s longest continuous study of Zepbound, involving over 1,000 patients over three years. Those on the highest dose lost about 23% of their body weight, highlighting the long-term health benefits of treating obesity and offering new hope for diabetes prevention. #ObesityResearch #Zepbound #Tirzepatide #WeightLoss Eli Lilly and Company CNBC https://lnkd.in/gApXqisH

🩺 The treatment of obesity should prioritize lifelong health gains over just weight loss, according to research published in The Lancet. Carel Le Roux, a spokesperson for the Irish Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (IrSPEN), emphasizes that success in treating obesity shouldn't be measured in kilograms but in improved health and quality of life. 🔍 Bariatric Surgeon Prof. Helen Heneghan underscores that obesity medications are only effective as long as they're taken, requiring long-term use to maintain health benefits. She highlights the challenges, including high costs, supply shortages, and side effects, which can hinder long-term adherence. When medication alone isn't enough, bariatric surgery may be a viable option, though some patients may need to transition back to medication if complications arise. 🚨 Michael Crotty, Obesity Lead for the Irish College of GPs, calls out the misconception that obesity is self-imposed and easily fixed by "eating less and moving more." This misunderstanding often leads to inadequate care for people with obesity, compared to those with other chronic diseases. Dr. Crotty urges for equal access to effective obesity treatments, just like any other chronic condition. 🚫 Disclaimer: Obesity Matters does not support or condone the use of stigmatizing images in media coverage of obesity. We call on all media outlets to adopt respectful and non-stigmatizing imagery that reflects the dignity and humanity of all individuals. Let’s break the stigma and treat obesity with the care and understanding it deserves. 🙌 #ObesityCare #HealthOverWeight #ChronicDisease #AccessToCare #ObesityMatters https://ow.ly/NhSL50T259B