Comment: Weight loss injections – Focus attention on prevention, not the cure

Assistant Litigation Executive, Daniel Finney wants the NHS to focus on the root cause of obesity over investing in alternative cures.

This is in response to the news a new injection to reduce obesity without a gastric operation is in development.

The NHS performs around 6,000 gastric bands and bypasses each year.

However, critics believe the injection is a costly shortcut and will trigger abdominal pain and low blood sugar levels.

Daniel said:

 

It concerns me to see 30% of the world’s population classified as obese.

This is astronomical.

The UK health system is already under extreme pressure and it is worrying that the focus is on curing obesity rather than preventing it in the first place.

 

After testing the injection on 15 volunteers, Imperial College London’s research shows an average loss of 4.4 kilograms.

In addition, their findings concluded hormones causing appetite change triggered the weight loss.

In an interview with the National, Professor Sir Stephen Bloom, co-author of the research, discussed the findings in more depth:

“The injection reset the appetite control system in the brain. It works to reduce food intake and therefore decreases calorie intake.”

In conclusion, Daniel believes there are more cost-effective ways to tackle obesity.

 

Being obese leads to potentially life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, strokes and heart attacks.

Furthermore, depression can lead to comfort eating and then obesity.

If there are more resources to treat depression, it may prevent obesity and stop potentially life-threatening diseases that cost the NHS a fortune.