There is a shortage of treatment programmes for people who are overweight and obese in this country and healthcare professionals are not properly trained in how to deal with obesity, an expert has warned.

According to consultant endocrinologist, Prof Donal O'Shea, obesity, including overweight, is now the most prevalent disease in Ireland, affecting one-quarter of children and two-thirds of adults.

"This is a huge public health challenge for this country that is resulting in increased numbers of people with diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. At the moment there is a shortage of treatment programmes across Ireland and healthcare professionals are insufficiently trained in detecting, treating and managing obesity. This needs to be addressed in a national obesity strategy," Prof O'Shea said.

He made his comments following the publication of recommendations by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland's (RCPI) Policy Group on Obesity. These recommendations are aimed at addressing the management and treatment of adults and children who are overweight or obese in Ireland.

Prof O'Shea, who is co-chairperson of the policy group, said that the recommendations provide a roadmap for how best to clinically manage obesity in the coming years.

He said that the challenge now is to develop ‘an integrated approach', so that people who are overweight or obese ‘can be treated and supported with weight management in the community, and in primary and secondary care settings'.

The recommendations were drawn up following consultation with patients being treated for obesity, as well as weight management organisations, including Weight Watchers and Slimming World.

According to the policy group's other co-chairperson, Prof Catherine Hayes, while all weight management programmes should include lifestyle changes, such as a healthier diet and increased exercise, those with severe obesity need ‘more intensive' help.

"People with severe obesity should have access to more intensive treatments, including pharmacological treatments, psychological support and specialist weight management programmes. Surgery to aid weight reduction should be considered where other measures have failed to achieve and maintain significant weight loss," she commented.

Recommendations made by the policy group include:

-Increasing budgetary allocations for obesity
-Educating all healthcare professionals on the management of obesity at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and educating all relevant government department staff
-Resource primary care (GP) teams so that they can effectively and sensitively deal with this issue
-Record children's height and weight at ages two and five years. This should be done by GPs
-Develop six specialist weight management centres nationwide, one within each HSE hospital group. These should be consultant-led
-Resource paediatric weight management teams in each hospital group
-Ensure hospitals, particularly Emergency Department (EDs), have appropriate equipment to deal with larger patients, such as trolleys that can take the weight of severely obese people
-Encourage women and their partners to have their body mass index measured before they become pregnant. Those who are overweight or obese should be encouraged to manage their weight before conception.