Four Reasons Weight-Loss Jobs Alone Won’t Help Get People Back to Work
Reason 1: Lack of Capacity
Weight loss jobs are just one part of the equation. Eligible patients require support from specialist services providing guidance on making lifestyle changes, such as diet, to successfully lose weight while on these drugs. All weight-loss injection trials to date have involved a behaviour change component, which may be crucial to successful weight loss.
However, current demand for weight-loss services outstrips capacity. Nearly half of eligible patients in England are unable to get an appointment with a specialist team. Weight-loss injections can only be prescribed through these services currently. If the government is to roll out the proposed program, they will need to rethink how weight-loss services are delivered so all eligible patients can access support.
Reason 2: Won’t Work for Everyone
Weight-loss jabs don’t work for everyone. One study found that 9-15% of participants did not lose clinically significant amounts of weight. Weight-loss jabs can also cause intolerable side-effects, with 4-8% of participants unable to tolerate them, leading to study dropouts. Constipation, diarrhea, and nausea are common side-effects.
Reason 3: Obesity is a Complex Issue
There are many complex factors that contribute to weight gain, such as opportunities for physical activity, access to healthy food, and levels of deprivation in a community. Prescribing weight-loss jabs to help people lose weight might not be effective in the long-term if the rest of these factors are not also addressed.
A more effective way of seeing significant, sustainable reductions in obesity levels is by using a “whole systems approach,” addressing the multiple environmental, social, and economic factors that contribute to obesity.
Reason 4: Obesity Stigma
Obesity stigma in the workplace is a significant barrier to satisfactory employment and can lead to poor wellbeing and burnout. Obesity stigma in the workplace perpetuates harmful weight-based stereotypes, making it more likely for people with obesity to be in insecure and lower-paid jobs.
Regular exposure to stigmatizing, isolating, and degrading prejudices has long-term consequences on physical and mental health, including binge eating and depression. This can lead to a loss of productivity, absenteeism, and loneliness.
Conclusion for Weight Loss
In conclusion, weight-loss jabs alone are unlikely to get people back to work. There are four key reasons for this: lack of capacity, it won’t work for everyone, obesity is a complex issue, and obesity stigma. A more effective approach would be to address the underlying factors that contribute to weight gain and to provide support for people to overcome the stigma associated with obesity.
FAQs
Q: What are the limitations of weight-loss jabs?
A: Weight-loss jabs don’t work for everyone, may cause side-effects, and have limited duration, leading to potential weight regain.
Q: What are some alternative approaches to weight loss?
A: A “whole systems approach” addressing environmental, social, and economic factors that contribute to obesity, and flexible working approaches to support people in overcoming barriers to employment.
Q: How can we best support people with obesity to get back to work?
A: By addressing the underlying factors that contribute to weight gain, providing support for people to overcome obesity stigma, and implementing flexible working approaches and workplace wellbeing programs.
Q: What is the estimated cost of obesity to society?
A: Approximately £35 billion annually, due to lower productivity and higher NHS treatment costs.
Q: What is the prevalence of obesity in England?
A: Around 26% of the English adult population, or approximately 15 million people.
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