Thank you to the EASO Early Career Network for the opportunity to talk about my work. My name is Dr. Laurence Dobbie, and I'm a NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) Academic Clinical Fellow in General Practice at King's College London.
My interest in obesity medicine began during my academic junior doctor training in the University of Liverpool. Here I worked on a few projects looking at how obesity drives PCOS development throughout the life course (https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dead053) and the best dietary pattern for MASLD and obesity (https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16071030). I then moved to London and worked with Professor Barbara McGowan in specialist weight management services and on obesity pharmacotherapy clinical trials (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-023-01368-4). I am now an Academic Clinical Fellow in General Practice at Kings College London, which allows me to train as a GP alongside continuing my research. My more recent research have been on two areas: bariatric tourism and the relationship between ethnicity and obesity.
Bariatric Tourism
One concerning trend I’ve been exploring is bariatric tourism—the practice of traveling abroad for weight-loss surgery. This has gained momentum due to long waiting lists, high costs, and limited access to bariatric procedures in several European countries. However, reports have emerged of some patients facing inadequate or fraudulent care, leading to severe harm or even death. IFSO-EC, EASO and ECPO initiated a task force of healthcare professionals and patient representatives to establish a consensus on safe practices in bariatric tourism. Their goal is to develop guidelines that establish safe practices for bariatric tourism, covering regulatory standards, eligibility, and care before and after surgery. These guidelines aim to enhance patient safety and reduce the risks associated with bariatric tourism, serving as a vital resource for patients, providers, and policymakers.
Ethnicity and Obesity
Another recent area of interest is the relationship between ethnicity and obesity, stemming from my work in South London—a region with a large Black African and Caribbean community. Traditional dietary advice provided in weight management programs often fails to meet the food preferences of these communities. For example, a study of our saxenda pathway (liraglutide 3.0mg) showed that Black African and Caribbean individuals experience less weight reduction compared to their white counterparts after four months, despite similar demographic factors (https://doi.org/10.1111/cob.12649 ). This has initiated my interest in further investigating disparities in obesity care for minority ethnic groups and exploring ways to improve the care and outcomes.
Primary Care and Obesity
Given I am a GP registrar, I am also interested in exploring how primary care can deliver effective obesity care. The advent of highly effective medications has increased the urgency of this issue. In the UK, there are few GPs with an interest in obesity medicine, and I feel weight stigma from health care professionals limits the provision of effective treatment. Since primary care is the first point of contact for patients seeking help, it’s crucial to get obesity care right from that very moment.
Looking Ahead
Moving forward, I aim to continue my work in obesity pharmacotherapy and epidemiology, with a particular focus on optimizing treatments for different minority ethnicities.
If you are interested in connecting, collaborating or finding out more, here are my contact details:
Email: Laurence.dobbie@kcl.ac.uk
X (formerly ‘twitter’): @laurencejd96
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-laurence-dobbie