Child obesity: Doctors say group GP appointments of up to 10 people would improve success

PARENTS of obese children would “share” visits to the GP with others under a proposal doctors claim would improve success and a Biggest Loser contestant recommends.

Former Biggest Loser contestant Alison Braun knows how difficult it is to lose weight. Picture: Richard Hatherly

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IT’S bulk-billing taken literally — groups of up to 10 overweight children “sharing” visits to the GP in a radical proposal to fix the childhood obesity crisis.

The US-style shared medical appointments would also be attended by exercise physiologists, nutritionists and ­dietitians  in  a  move  aimed at ­  allowing    patients    to gain more out of their ­appointments.

The recommendation has been put to a NSW upper house inquiry into childhood obesity by the NSW Australian Medical Association (AMA), which argues a group setting would streamline services, encourage patients to attend appointments and provide greater treatment success by using peer support.

Ms Braun lost 58kg on the Biggest Loser. Pictures: Instagram

“Shared medical appointments (or group visits) use peer support, ­reduce costs and improve patient and GP satisfaction in the management of chronic disease,” the AMA said.

The recommendation is among scores of submissions being made to the inquiry to tackle the obesity epidemic, which range from a sugar tax on sweetened drinks to more bike racks at schools.

It’s time to battle childhood obesity, the AMA says.

The latest NSW Health data shows almost one in four children aged five to 16 was overweight or obese last year.  

NSW Premier Mike Baird pledged last year to reduce childhood obesity by five percentage points in a decade.

Describing the target as “ambitious”, the NSW Health submission warned no country  to  date  had  been successful in reversing the trend of children being overweight or obese.

Shared medical appointments were recently trialled in eight medical centres across Australia over six months with a report published in the Australian Family Physician journal last year concluding they were beneficial to patients with a chronic illness.

The report said patient feedback included that they did not feel so “alone” in battling their illness, while also gaining more information about their disease by listening to answers given by a GP to fellow patients.

“You work hard because you don’t want to let down your team.”

Describing obesity as a “national crisis”, NSW AMA vice-president Kean-Seng Lim said shared medical ­appointments were one way that GPs could make inroads in tackling the epidemic.

Dr Lim said while the NSW AMA was pushing for shared medical ­appointments for patients battling obesity, they could apply to people with other chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

“The benefits are that each patient might have a different question about their illness, but everyone else gains by sharing  their experiences,” he said.

The AMA will need to convince the federal government to include group visits on the Medicare Benefits Schedule after it recently ­rejected a similar proposal by the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine for patients with Type 2 diabetes.

A NSW Health spokesman said there was a lack of evidence group visits were cost-­effective or clinically ­effective.

“Their place in the Australian health care setting was poorly defined,” he said.

It is understood a separate application is being prepared for shared medical appointments for obesity patients.

Alison Braun has battled obesity for many years. Picture: Channel Ten

Alison Braun worked hard to lose weight and be healthy. Picture: Richard Hatherly

WIN BY LOSING AS A TEAM

FORMER Biggest Loser contestant Alison Braun said a group setting was a significant motivational tool for people trying to lose weight.

Ms Braun, who began gaining weight at age 13 before trying to diet unsuccessfully, shed 58 kilos on the show after weighing in at 125kg.

Eight years on, the gym team program manager has not only managed to maintain her weight, she has shed ­another 2kg.

“I had been on every diet imaginable but without success,” she said.

“My family were also not sure what the right things to do were — not that I blame them — there was not the information around.

“In a group environment, it is not just what you learn but, from a psychological view, you work hard because you don’t want to let down your team.”