Funding obesity surgery is weighty issue | Manawatu-Wanganui News | Local News in Manawatu-Wanganui

The issue of funding obesity surgery still remains unresolved but Wanganui's district health board has at least decided it can and must take a lead in tackling the problem head on.

It will be carrying the message of healthier lifestyles to community leaders as well as putting up $75,000 in funding in this current year. This money will be picked up from under-spends in other areas of the board's operation.

Board chairwoman Kate Joblin said the board accepted a recommendation from one of its committees that pushed for some action on the obesity front.

Mrs Joblin said the DHB would be taking this issue to Wanganui community leaders to get their approval.

The obesity debate flared when local woman Jasmin Sciascia went to the board explaining how obesity was likely to kill her unless she got weight loss surgery through the public health system. She cannot afford private surgery.

Mrs Joblin said there needed to be a focus on prevention as this was the best long term investment for the community.

"We agreed that a major thrust of the plan must be on our children and encouraging youth to make healthy choices.

"It's essential that we take actions that will have a positive effect on obesity rates in years to come," she said.

She said tackling obesity would not be successful if left to health services alone and that was why the WDHB intended to take a leadership role to ensure that a whole community approach, across all sectors, was taken.

Mrs Joblin said while the board accepted the value of weight loss surgery for some people it decided to wait for some national direction pending the outcome of Countries-Manukau pilot scheme.

The decision was endorsed by the board members.

PJ Faumui said he was warmed by the decision because it signalled the board was prepared to take a different look at health issues.

"This is about behavioural change," Mr Faumui said.

"If we stick to our beliefs in health then we wait for a cure to be delivered by someone else. What we're doing here is talking about changing attitudes."

Philippa Baker-Hogan said the WDHB could and must take a lead in the fight against obesity because "many people in our community are still struggling to make ends meet".

Nancy Tuaine said the board could lead the change without waiting for central government to do something.

"There's no reason why we can't deliver our own local charter on this," Mrs Tuaine said.

 

TOO HEAVY

Statistics show that Wanganui has an obesity rate 18 per cent higher than New Zealand as a whole.

Levels of obesity increased from 11 per cent in 1989 to 26 per cent in 2006/07 in a population where 63 per cent of the adult population was considered either overweight or obese.