A proposed new national model of care by global specialist health advisory firm Evohealth has mapped a pathway to ensure all Australians living with clinical obesity have access to effective, coordinated treatment regardless of where they live or their income.
Around two-thirds of Australian adults are living with overweight or obesity, with prevalence continuing to rise in priority populations including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, and regional and remote Australia.
These communities face greater barriers accessing life-changing obesity treatments such as Glucagon-Like Peptide-1s (GLP-1s), surgical intervention or other obesity management medications.
Obesity cost Australia an estimated $11.8 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach $87.7 billion by 2032[1] without coordinated national action to address this growing challenge.
Evohealth found that on average Australians wait almost nine years between first meeting the criteria for clinical obesity and accessing their first obesity specific consultation, around three years longer than the global average.
Even when people do seek help, treatment remains difficult to access with none of the six medicines currently approved for obesity management subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Similarly, 93 per cent of bariatric surgery occurs in the private system, excluding many who cannot afford private care.
Under the proposed Evohealth model, every person living with clinical obesity would have access to care in a respectful, stigma-free environment and with a clear pathway to assessment and treatment.
Key features of the model include:
- A primary care-centric pathway, with assessment and treatment planning led by GPs and nurse practitioners, to expand access in communities facing long waits or workforce shortages.
- A dedicated obesity care coordinator role, modelled on established cancer and diabetes coordinator roles, to help people navigate the health system.
- Treatment-agnostic care that supports informed choice across health behaviour change, medication and surgical obesity treatment options.
- Enhanced assessment through online and telehealth channels, particularly for rural and remote Australians.
- Care defined by health outcomes, not body size, using the Edmonton Obesity Staging System rather than Body Mass Index alone.
The national model of care for clinical obesity outlined by Evohealth was co-designed with an expert Advisory Committee of clinicians, and informed by broader consultation with researchers, policymakers, service providers and people with lived experience.
The Model also identifies the funding reforms needed to close the equity gap, including dedicated Medicare Benefits Schedule support for structured obesity care planning, PBS-subsidised treatment, funding for the care coordinator role, and greater access to public bariatric surgery.
Evohealth Managing Director Renae Beardmore said: "Clinical obesity is a chronic disease, but for too many Australians structured support, medication and surgery are simply out of reach. Our model provides an evidence-based practical plan for how Australia can change that."
President of the National Association of Clinical Obesity Services Dr Samantha Hocking said: "This model provides a clear, practical pathway to transform the treatment of obesity in Australia. It outlines the coordination, workforce and follow-up structures needed so that effective obesity treatment reaches everyone who needs it regardless of their postcode or income."
The full summary report is available at https://www.evohealth.com.au/reports/a-national-model-of-care-for-obesity-in-australia.
Funding disclosure: Funding for this project was received from Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals. The model was developed independently by Evohealth with an expert Advisory Committee. Novo Nordisk did not attend Committee meetings or influence the content of the model, which is treatment and brand agnostic.
