Enhancing Obesity Care: Webinar for Family Doctors and Primary Care Physicians
On 3rd March 2025, the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) and WONCA Europe hosted a 90-minute webinar focused on the latest developments in obesity management within primary care. The session aimed to bridge the gap between clinical guidelines and daily practice for family doctors and GPs. Expert speakers shared insights on patient perspectives, the application of the EASO Framework for Obesity Management, real-world case studies, and paediatric obesity care. Find the webinar programme, here.
The webinar recording is available here.
Key Takeaway Messages for GPs and Family Doctors based on presentations by the expert speaker panel.
Obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease
- Not a failure of willpower: Obesity is a complex, relapsing disease that requires long-term, multidisciplinary management
- Impact of weight stigma: Weight-related stigma, including from healthcare professionals, can cause psychological harm and discourage patients from seeking help
Comprehensive screening and diagnosis are crucial
- Diagnostic criteria: Obesity should be diagnosed using clinical and anthropometric criteria, beyond BMI alone. Waist-to-height ratio can improve diagnostic accuracy, especially when clinical impairment is present. The EASO Framework for Obesity Diagnosis and Management outlines key diagnostic criteria for obesity
- Early identification: Regular screening is critical. Early detection, even later in life, can help mitigate long-term health risks
Early intervention and preventive strategies
- Recognising early experiences: Childhood experiences, such as school weigh-ins or dieting, can have lasting psychological impacts for individuals, including negatively influencing self-perception and increasing risk of disordered eating
- Prevention is key: Interventions should begin as early as age two to promote healthier lifestyles and reduce future obesity-related complications
Evidence-based management and treatment options
- Lifestyle and behavioural modifications: Sustainable modifications to diet, physical activity, sleep, and other behaviours should be encouraged through patient-centred communication
- Pharmacotherapy advances: New medications (e.g., GLP-1 receptor agonists) show promise in improving obesity-related conditions and should be prescribed as part of multidisciplinary care
- Defining success: Focus on functional and metabolic improvements rather than percentage-based weight loss
Holistic, lifelong, and integrated care
- Long-term support: Interventions, including surgery, are tools within a broader care strategy, not standalone solutions
- Multidisciplinary collaboration: Work with dietitians, psychologists, specialists, and allied health professionals to provide coordinated, patient-centred care
- Shared decision-making: Engage patients in developing personalised care plans that align with their individual needs and circumstances
Addressing broader determinants and systemic issues
- Social determinants of health: Consider socioeconomic factors, health literacy, and environmental influences when designing obesity management plans
- Advocacy and public policy: Obesity is a societal issue. Support policies such as food marketing regulations and urban planning reforms that promote healthier communities
- Creating supportive environments: Foster health-promoting settings within both clinical practice and the wider community to encourage long-term, sustainable behaviour change
Conclusion
This World Obesity Day Europe 2025 webinar highlighted the importance of a comprehensive, compassionate, and evidence-based approach to obesity management in primary care. By recognising obesity as a chronic disease, using advanced screening and intervention strategies, and fostering multidisciplinary collaboration, GPs and family doctors can improve patient outcomes. As frontline providers, GPs and family doctors are crucial in transforming obesity care – ensuring that every patient has access to evidence-based and respectful support and treatment.