RACGP Specific Interests Obesity Management's 10-year anniversary comes at a pivotal time in obesity care in general practice.
Today, obesity is capturing headlines like never before.
With new treatments showing potential to bring life-changing gains for some patients, GPs are navigating a new world in obesity management.
No longer a difficult-to-broach subject, patients who struggle with their weight are coming to consultations with curiosity about medications that are gaining attention. And almost half of GPs in a recent newsGP poll report being asked about weight loss drugs at least once every day.
This year, as the World Health Organization marked Obesity Day 2025, it called for urgent global action to tackle 'one of the most significant public health challenges of our time'.
As the RACGP Specific Interests Obesity Management group celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2025 with a 3000-strong membership, it's clear the obesity challenge in Australia is being met by a dedicated network of GPs ready to take it on.
Putting a plan into action
It was 2015 when GP and founding Chair of the group, Dr Georgia Rigas, had her light bulb moment.
Feeling professionally isolated, and with no one to bounce ideas around with, Dr Rigas knew there was a better way to reach out to fellow college members who were as passionate about obesity care as she was.
'Essentially, there was a need to connect and have a collegial relationship with others who had the same kind of specific interest that I had,' she told newsGP.
'We were all working in isolation in different states and there was no one I could phone to say, "hey, I've got this challenging case, and I'm doing X or Y; do you think you would do the same or different?".
'Or, "I just wanted you to know there are some new guidelines. What do you think of them? How applicable are they to our Australian landscape?".'
The solution, Dr Rigas thought, was to create a group of like-minded GPs with a shared goal: to collaborate, advocate and educate on evidence-based obesity management.
The journey started with a business case, which recognised obesity as a major health issue aligned with the Federal Government's health agenda at the time.
For the application to be approved, at least 10 GP Fellows from two or more states needed to sign on. The enthusiasm was overwhelming, with 20 founding members stepping forward.
Making its mark from day one, the Obesity Management group chose the week of World Obesity Day to hold its first virtual meeting on 11 March 2015.
'By word of mouth, it just started to grow and grow quite quickly,' Dr Rigas recalls.
'We were quite proud, and obviously, once the college really took us under its wing, and we had admin and managerial support, advertising and CPD points to attend some events - it just flourished, so we're really proud of that.'
It didn't take long to realise this would be more than just a special interest group; it would become a driving force for change in obesity management.
Dr Rigas, who was Chair from 2014 to 2020, was central in shaping the group's direction, and there have been some important milestones reached along the way.
Making big achievements
A significant achievement for the group was the development of the Australian Obesity Algorithm for GPs, first released in 2022 and updated in 2024. This evidence-based tool provides practical guidance for GPs managing obesity.
The group also paved the way to establish the RACGP's Recognition of Extended Skills program as well as undertaking strong advocacy work, which has been a key focus for the obesity group, through engagement with members and government.
A stand-out milestone for Dr Rigas was leading the RACGP Position Statement on Obesity Management which was published in 2019 before being updated in 2025.
'To be able to write our inaugural position statement on the prevention and management of obesity that we first put out in 2019 was rewarding, and I updated that version in March this year in time for World Obesity Day,' she said.
This year's update includes a recommendation that obesity management medication be subsidised on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Schedule (PBS).
It follows the growing body of evidence that semaglutide medicines can be an effective way for patients to reduce their risk of complex and chronic conditions linked to overweight and obesity.
Mounjaro, Wegovy, and Ozempic have all become household names, with their popularity skyrocketing, but so far, none have been listed on the PBS, reducing access for many, particularly lower socioeconomic groups which can be disproportionately affected. The work in this space continues.
The Obesity Management group has contributed to clinical guidelines, including updates to both the RACGP Diabetes handbook and the 10th edition of the Red Book, to include evidence-based recommendations on obesity management and metabolic health.
Dr Rigas looks back on her contribution to the Red Book with pride.
'I went cover to cover and looked at it through the lens of obesity and provided feedback. But what came of it, and I was really happy to see, was that obesity now has its own chapter under metabolic health, where it should be, rather than as a sub-chapter of diet and exercise, giving it the chronic health condition status that we all know it deserves,' she said.
'So I thought that was quite a big achievement.'
On the frontline of care, Specific Interests Obesity Management members have delivered education and support through national roadshows, webinar series, and fly-in/fly-out clinics in rural and remote Queensland, ensuring equitable access to expert care.
Many of the members also make an impact beyond the group, influencing national and international obesity policies.
There have also been positive events bringing members together, including the Walk for Health initiative at GP16 in Melbourne, where conference attendees, their families, and even their pets, took part in a community walk near the RACGP headquarters, as well as the GP18 Walk Against Obesity.
Moving forward
Current Chair Dr Terri-Lynne South, a dual-qualified dietitian and GP, has continued to build on the group's legacy since taking up the role in 2022.
And its 10-year anniversary comes at a pivotal moment in obesity management in general practice, attracting increased interest.
'It's a growing area because we're getting a greater understanding that it is a chronic clinical condition, a disease entity of its own, that the prevalence is increasing, and we really need to do something about that,' Dr South told newsGP.
'But also, there are greater evidence-based management options. With that increase in research over the last 20 years, that's all culminated into having better understanding and better options of intervention, there's also an increasing burden of this condition in the community.
'That's why the group has gained this groundswell of interest, and we can certainly see that with the increasing numbers of our membership over the last five years.'
Making a difference
Dr South thinks 'it's a prime time' for the Obesity Management group to take advantage of the growing spotlight on this area of healthcare, as the group isn't just about its members - it is also about 'education of the general GP community and public, and advocacy for our patients'.
'We're trying to elevate the knowledge of GPs. For someone in general practice who may not be aware of how much things have changed recently, it's about elevating their core knowledge skills,' she said.
'It's also for people that have an interest in obesity, elevating their skills and putting that wrap-around support for practitioners, no matter where they are in their interests and where they work, but also trying to advocate for practitioners and patients.'
Looking to the future
Nearly a third of Australia's adult population is living with obesity, and while there are plenty of expensive diets and supplement companies ready to take patients' money in exchange for the promise of a healthier body, it's within the trusted relationship between a GP and patient that real gains can be made in improving health outcomes.
As RACGP Specific Interests Obesity Management celebrates its 10-year anniversary, its mission remains as relevant as ever - the fight for better access, better education, and better patient outcomes continues.
What began as a small group of dedicated GPs has grown into a national force in obesity advocacy, shaping policies, educating the next generation, and challenging outdated perceptions about obesity.
'The work isn't done, but the impact of the [group] is undeniable,' says Dr South.
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