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The Challenge for Global Health Systems in Preventing and Managing Obesity Publisher Pubmed



Wolfenden L1, 2 ; Ezzati M3, 4, 5 ; Larijani B6, 7 ; Dietz W8
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
  2. 2. Hunter New England Local Health District, Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, NSW, Australia
  3. 3. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
  4. 4. MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
  5. 5. WHO Collaborating Centre on NCD Surveillance and Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
  6. 6. Diabetes Research Centre, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  7. 7. Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Centre, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  8. 8. Redstone Global Centre for Prevention and Wellness, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States

Source: Obesity Reviews Published:2019


Abstract

Few health crises have been as predictable as the unfolding obesity pandemic. Clinical and public health services remain the front line of efforts to reduce the burden of obesity. While a range of clinical practice guidelines exist, the need for clinical interventions exceeds the capacity of health systems to provide care for those affected with obesity, and routine clinical practices fall far short of guidelines recommendations even in high-income countries. In this manuscript, we discuss current recommendations regarding obesity interventions and key challenges facing global health systems in managing the health needs of people with obesity. Improving the provision of obesity-related health care is a considerable challenge and will require changing existing perceptions of obesity as a matter of personal failure to its recognition as a disease, innovative approaches to health system reform, clinician capacity building and implementation support, a focus on prevention, and wise resource allocation. Leadership from governments, the medical profession, and patient and community groups to address the issues raised in this manuscript is urgently needed to address the growing health concern. © 2019 World Obesity Federation
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