Obesity APPG Chair speaks at IFSO Conference

Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity, Maggie Throup MP, spoke at the World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders in London, the global annual gathering of bariatric and metabolic surgery experts. She joined figures such as the national clinical director for obesity and diabetes, Prof Jonathan Valabhji, to respond to presentations by renowned clinicians such as Prof Rachel Batterham, Prof Francesco Rubino and Mr Richard Welbourn, consultant surgeon and world congress president for IFSO 2017.

Ms Throup, who has a background in healthcare, spoke of the importance of changing attitudes towards the obese, with the aim of saving money and improving quality of life.

Speaking at IFSO, Maggie Throup MP said:

“We have already heard of CCGs restricting treatment to those who smoke or are overweight, and too many professionals still think obesity is purely a lifestyle choice.

“It is the responsibility of legislators such as myself to challenge these attitudes and get the message over that obesity is a disease which can be treated. I know from my career in healthcare that the silo culture in the NHS hasn't changed in many years, and people can't see that when you spend money in one area, you save it in another.

“It isn't just politicians that have the mindset that obese patients do not deserve treatment, but much of the public as well, and we need to challenge that.”