2024 in review: The Obesity Collective
The Obesity Collective is the peak body for obesity in Australia. It is a national umbrella coalition of existing NGOs, health agencies, academic groups and committed individuals with a vision to address the health and wellbeing impacts of obesity in Australia.
Working together we aim to raise awareness of the science and reality of obesity and promote evidence-based prevention and treatment action through a strong, cooperative and inclusive network.
2024 Events
The Collective team hosted a virtual World Obesity Day event 2024 with 21 expert speakers. There were 304 registrations and over 150 people who attended the session. Edited videos of each expert presentation are published on our website, shared with registrants and on social media.
The Collective team attended and spoke at the 2024 Australia New Zealand Obesity Society (ANZOS) Annual Scientific Meeting in October. The Collective was pleased to be involved with the voices of lived experience alongside compelling data and research that sparked insightful discussions.
Publications
On 4 March 2024, The Obesity Collective launched a new report 'A Time for Action', which looks at the most recent statistics and calls for collective action to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians.
The Obesity Collective recently issued a response to the recent public consultation on the refresh of the National Strategic Framework for Chronic Conditions by Australian Government Department of Health. The Framework provides guidance for people developing and implementing policies, strategies, actions and services to reduce the impact of chronic conditions in Australia. It is directed at decision and policy makers at national, state and local levels.
News media
The Obesity Collective was invited to present to the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport’s Inquiry into Diabetes in Australia at Parliament House.
Our team launched the Understanding the Science and Reality of Obesity for Better Patient Care E-Learning module. The Collective is delighted to share that we have received recognition and endorsement of the stigma module from five professional membership organisations in Australia including the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).
Our team launched The Obesity Collective Podcast! In our debut episode, we reflect on key moments and lessons from World Obesity Day 2024, exploring efforts to challenge stigma and raise awareness about obesity in Australia. Join the conversation on Spotify or listen directly from our website!
The Obesity Collective responded to the significant cost disparity of a weight loss treatment compared to its diabetes counterpart, by highlighting concerns about equity and stigma. We emphasised that those living with obesity should not bear a disproportionate financial burden to access the same medication. The Collective called for semaglutide to be made available under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to ensure fair and affordable access for those most in need.
Upcoming events
A roundtable on eating disorders in persons with larger bodies will be held and the Obesity Collective has been invited as a key stakeholder in the workshop. This is a workshop jointly organised by the National eating Disorders Collaboration and the Eating Disorders in Weight Related Therapy (EDIT) Collaboration to achieve better agreement on guidelines for managing eating disorders in persons living with obesity.
The Obesity Collective is gearing up to participate and host another exciting World Obesity Day rapid fire speakers event in March 2025.