Obesity crisis: 'Weight loss service through pharmacies would yield better outcomes'

Day Lewis is planning to launch a private weight loss service in January 2025 to help tackle the UK’s obesity crisis

Rachna Chhatralia, superintendent pharmacist at Day Lewis, has suggested that obesity should be a key focus area of the upcoming 10-year health plan.

She advocated for a weight loss service to be commissioned through community pharmacies to address this growing public health issue effectively.

"Obesity is a big problem in the UK, and it has progressively worsened as a result of COVID, with people being at home, unable to access gyms, and developing unhealthy eating habits,” Rachna told Pharmacy Business.

Rachna, the winner of the Pharmacy Business’ Aspiring Pharmacy Leader of the Year, emphasised the urgent need to tackle obesity as it can lead to other long-term conditions in the long run and cost the NHS a lot of money.

“If you don't try and tackle the obesity rate, you're then looking at treatment for other comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues, including heart attack and strokes. It just spirals out of control,” she explained.

Rachna stated that Day Lewis plans to launch a private weight loss service in January 2025.

However, she believes having a commissioned weight loss service would be a great opportunity for the sector as a whole.

“We would reach out to all the patients who require it and provide them with suitable medication to support them, as well as appropriate coaching plans, including educating them about healthy eating, exercise, and other lifestyle choices.

“Additionally, we could monitor vital signs such as BMI, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels,” Rachna said.

When asked if pharmacies are adequately trained to offer a weight loss service, she responded, “Absolutely! 100 per cent. If you consider Healthy Living advice, it’s what we provide to our patients day in and day out.”

Rachna suggested that the government could also consider funding training to upskill community pharmacy teams.

She believes that delivering such an important service through community pharmacies would result in much better outcomes than if it were offered at a GP practice.

“You have skilled individuals available in community pharmacies, who are open long hours, and there’s a pharmacy at nearly every corner. I believe access would be far better, and in the long run, it would support the NHS.

“It would be more cost-effective to invest in pharmacy now to reduce the obesity rate within the population rather than delaying it and then facing the costs associated with the complications that can arise from obesity,” she added.

The latest data from the Department of Health and Social Care reveals that approximately two-thirds (63 per cent) of adults in England are above a healthy weight, with half of those classified as living with obesity.

Additionally, in England, one in three children finishing primary school are overweight or living with obesity, with one in five classified as living with obesity.

Obesity rates are highest among the most deprived groups in society, with children living in the most deprived parts of the country more than twice as likely to be living with obesity than those in the least deprived areas.

Rachna Chhatralia, posing with the Pharmacy Business Aspiring Pharmacy Leader of the Year award.