World Obesity publish academic paper on the provision of clinical care for obesity in 68 countries!

Earlier this month to help mark the first united World Obesity Day, a new study was published in Clinical Obesity. The paper details the results of a survey conducted over 2 years on the readiness of health systems to provide obesity treatment services across 68 countries. 

The study found that there is a severe a lack of adequate services, especially in lower income countries, and in rural areas of most countries. Lack of treatment was attributed to a broad range of issues including: no clear care pathways from primary care to secondary services; absent or limited secondary services in some regions; lack of trained multi‐disciplinary support professionals; potentially high costs to patients; long waiting times for surgery; and stigma experienced by patients within the health care services.

We would like to thank all that partook in the surveys and interviews to bring this project to fruition. This article is the 'editor's choice' of the latest issue in Clinical Obesity - meaning it's free to access for 2 months for all here.