Obesity is expensive and we take a look at the cost...

We delve into a 2023 report on the cost of obesity commissioned by Novo Nordisk

Author

Katie
August 02, 2023

Welcome to Weight Loss Buzz, your fix of weight loss news. Weight Loss Buzz is for patients and health-conscious consumers wanting weight loss products, treatment and medication. We bring you the news on the latest trends, breakthrough medications, buying advice, and tips for losing weight well.

WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION NEWS

Obesity is expensive

Today we take a look inside a Novo Nordisk-commissioned report into the cost of obesity in the UK. The reportʻs author, Frontier Economics states:

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“Our findings show that the current social annual cost of obesity in the UK at around £58 billion, equivalent to around 3% of the 2020 UK GDP. This includes direct costs such as the cost of obesity-related diseases on the health system (including COVID-19 and mental health issues) and the loss of quality-adjusted life years for individuals. In addition, it includes the wider costs to society such as loss of productivity and cost of social care.”

The estimated annual NHS spend on obesity-related diseases is £6.5 billion. The report summarises that “a 10% reduction in obesity prevalence could lead to significant cost savings, not only to the NHS but also in terms of improved quality of life and workplace productivity. This social gain could be equivalent to almost £6 billion per year.”

At Weight Loss Buzz we are committed to supporting people living with obesity to find the best care. We welcome research into the impact and causes of obesity, but caution against treating this as a purely economic issue.

Of course, if obesity treatments can reduce the costs to health services, then we can see a clear argument to support their introduction. We are also keen to support individuals and our own experience tells us that obesity and overweight has a cost to the individual.

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WEIGHT LOSS TIPS

Whether you are using weight loss medication to lose weight or you’re using a more traditional strategy, you may benefit from a little help and guidance and so we share a WLB (Weight Loss Buzz) weight loss tip each week.

If you want to lose weight using weight loss medication but can’t get any right now, you may also consider alternative weight loss strategies.

WLB Weight Loss Tip: Boost your success by sharing your weight loss story on Social Media

In the age of digital connectivity, sharing your weight loss journey on social media can be a powerful tool to boost your motivation, inspire others, and cultivate a supportive community. While sharing deeply personal stories and goals is not for everyone, there are some benefits to going public. Today we take a look at the benefits of sharing your weight loss story online. Read more here.

STUFF WE LOVE

At Weight Loss Buzz we bring you a selection of useful products each week to help accelerate your weight loss journey. This week we're loving…

Fitbit Luxe

Shine a light on your mind, body & health with a wellness tracker that doubles as jewellery. With all the essentials, you'll be unstoppable.

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SKINNY JAB / OZEMPIC / SAXENDA AVAILABILITY

Looking for skinny jabs or weight loss injections online?

We checked a range of online pharmacies and online doctor ʻclinicsʻ in the UK this week for Saxenda and Ozempic. The picture is pretty bleak if you are looking for an online prescriber and don’t already have a prescription, or are not already a customer.

Some online doctors or weight loss clinics may have availability of some drugs for existing customers, indeed most online providers in the UK are now stating that they only have supply for existing customers.

Weight Loss Buzz exists to help patients make informed choices and so we aim to gather current and relevant information about availability. We will bring you an update on weight loss injection availability each week, as it changes. While it seems that Ozempic and Saxenda are generally not available from online clinics for new patients in the UK right now, the situation is in flux and subject to change. We will also bring news of alternative medication and weight loss approaches for those affected by the supply issues.

We hope you’ve enjoyed Weight Loss Buzz this week. If you have, please share this newsletter with your friends. We wish you every success on your healthy weight loss journey.

Until next time,

The Weight Loss Buzz Team