Treat obesity with the same effort used to reduce smoking, says lead psychologist

GPs delivering weight management programmes should have regular supervision sessions with psychologists to increase their awareness of how mental health can contribute to obesity, a report has recommended.

The report1 by the British Psychological Society (BPS) said many health professionals delivering weight management interventions “lack sufficient skills and training in the design, delivery, and evaluation of behavioural support.”

Better outcomes could be achieved if staff had a greater understanding of the link between mental health conditions, psychological factors, and obesity, it argued.

The report calls on the government to develop a national training and …