Patients on powerful fat loss jabs must get Medicare-funded gym sessions and diet advice to ensure they don\u2019t cause irreversible damage to their bodies, health leaders warn.<\/p>\n
It comes as fitness experts say they\u2019re seeing a surge in \u201cskinny fat\u201d clients \u2013 people who have dropped kilos rapidly on the drugs, but lost vital muscle instead of just body fat.<\/p>\n
In a landmark white paper, more than 150 top medical bodies \u2013 including the peak GP group, <\/p>\n
Diabetes Australia, and the Heart Foundation \u2013 are demanding the Albanese Government deliver complete \u201cwraparound care\u201d for people fighting chronic diseases like obesity.<\/p>\n
It follows a News Corp investigation, which this week revealed doctors were not reporting severe side effects because the paperwork is too taxing \u2013 and that patients were microdosing to make prescriptions last longer.<\/p>\n
AUSactive boss Dr Ken Griffin said prescribing weight loss drugs without proper lifestyle support is a failure of care.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government cannot treat weight loss jabs as a quick fix or a stand-alone cure,\u201d Dr Griffin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cGLP-1 medications can be incredibly effective, but if governments are going to fund the prescription, they must also fund the support around it.<\/p>\n
\u201cPatients may need a combination of co-ordinated clinical oversight, mental health monitoring, nutrition advice, and structured exercise to protect their physical and psychological wellbeing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under the proposed \u2018GP to Gym\u2019 model, patients wouldn\u2019t get a \u201cfree gym membership for life\u201d, but rather an eight-to-12-week targeted course run by personal trainers or exercise physiologists.<\/p>\n
Programs would run everywhere from local commercial gyms and council halls to community centres, ensuring everyday Aussies get the hands-on help they need to transform their health for good.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that one of the big challenges of GLP-1s is loss of lean muscle mass,\u201d Dr Griffin said. \u201cAnd that means you\u2019re losing skeletal muscle as well as actual lean muscle, rather than just fat. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that we need to prevent that otherwise later in life and that can lead to other issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fit Mumma founder Patsy Tierney, who was the World Sport Aerobics Champion in 1998, has seen different health trends come and go over the decades but said the impact of GLP-1s had been most dramatic.<\/p>\n
She has clients who come to her because they have no energy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are almost that \u2018skinny fat\u2019 because they\u2019ve lost so much muscle,\u201d Ms Tierney said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI tell my clients what we are doing now is training for our old lady\u2019s body. It\u2019s so important to maintain strength as you get older. Anything you can do to get people in the gym is brilliant, because some people don\u2019t know where to start.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Jack Mosley \u2013 son of the late Michael Mosley, famous for starting the fasting trend \u2013 said the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, already runs a similar program, covering some gym costs if the patient is eligible.<\/p>\n
He said he was a supporter of the idea, even though most weight loss begins in the kitchen.<\/p>\n
For help with an eating disorder, call the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673, Lifeline on 13 11 14, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Headspace on 1800 650 890<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Patients on powerful fat loss jabs must get Medicare-funded gym sessions and diet advice to ensure they 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