Obesity management

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Unit 629

December 2025

Obesity management

The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate how general practitioners can identify individuals who are at risk of developing obesity and implement timely and appropriate intervention strategies, including preventative measures.

Obesity is a complex issue that affects individuals, families, healthcare systems and the wider community. Its causes are multifaceted, including genetic predisposition, early life experiences and environmental factors.

Over recent decades, the global prevalence of obesity has risen dramatically, highlighting the significant impact of changes in our lifestyles and living environments. In Australia, 32% of adults are living with obesity.

People living with obesity often face stigmatisation and social inequity, which can limit their access to effective treatments. As a result, many delay seeking help, often presenting with more advanced stages of the disease.

Australian general practitioners and their primary care teams are well equipped to manage chronic diseases, which include obesity. The National Obesity Strategy 2022 calls on general practitioners to identify unhealthy weight gain at various life stages and take early action. It stresses the importance of enabling people with obesity to access timely and appropriate support to improve their health, prevent weight regain and manage associated conditions like type 2 diabetes.

General practice is central to the primary, secondary and tertiary management of obesity, with a particular focus on managing individuals currently living with the condition.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this activity, participants will be able to:
  • describe the broad societal, environmental and individual factors influencing obesity risk and management, including stigma and risk of disordered eating
  • identify the potential complications of obesity and its associated comorbidities
  • differentiate between various obesity interventions, including weight-neutral approaches, lifestyle modifications, pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery
  • implement individualised, life stage–appropriate management strategies, including family-centred lifestyle interventions for young people and tailored care for specific populations such as older adults with sarcopenia
  • formulate care plans that include timely referrals and interprofessional collaboration, recognising the central role of the general practitioner in long-term management.

Case studies

Below is a list of the case studies found in this month's unit of check. To see how these case studies unfold and gain valuable insights into this month's topic, log into gplearning to complete the course. 

Leah, a child aged four years, presents with her mother Susan for a routine health check. Susan mentions that Leah has been drinking a lot of juice lately and asks whether Leah is ‘a healthy weight’. Susan appears anxious when discussing weight, mentioning that many family members, including herself, have ‘struggled with weight for years’. You note that Leah appears well overall, is active during the consultation and is meeting developmental milestones.

Susan, a mother of two aged 34 years, presents for a repeat prescription for a progestogen-only pill (drospirenone 4 mg). During the consultation, Susan shares that she would like a third child but is not sure she has the energy to manage another pregnancy. She reports difficulty with exercise, low mood and social withdrawal due to long-term body image distress. She appears fatigued and reports poor sleep quality. She is not seeking weight-related advice, but you note that her BMI is 42 kg/m². You decide to explore her overall health further.

Rachel, aged 15 years, accompanied by her mother Susan, presents to talk about her knee pain. Rachel has had left knee pain for three weeks, making it hard to walk. She has been reluctant to go to school. The pain started gradually, there has been no night-time pain, and she has been otherwise well in herself. You have cared for Rachel since she was a baby and know that she is up to date on her immunisations. She has no chronic diseases and has not travelled recently.

On examination, Rachel can weight-bear with a slight limp, and her lower limb examination is otherwise normal. Rachel’s temperature is normal, and she reports that she has not had a fever.

You notice that she has central adiposity and that before her appointment with you today, she declined to be weighed by the practice nurse. Her observations are within normal range. You ask Rachel if you can weigh her in your consultation room. She agrees, with some hesitation, and asks not to be told the numbers on the scale.

Mark, a Pacific Islander man aged 48 years, originally from New Zealand, comes to see you as his asthma is worsening. He has been feeling increasingly short of breath and tired, which is affecting his ability to work as a truck driver. This is his first visit with you, but he has previously brought in his children, Rachel and Leah, for routine immunisations and the odd cough or cold. He has recorded a medical history significant for asthma but nothing else of note.

At Mark’s first visit to the practice, for haemorrhoids, he was seen by the registrar. At that visit, his BMI (37.6 kg/m²) was recorded but not addressed.

Loella, a semi-retired woman aged 66 years, is currently living in a remote rural community and planning to move in with her daughter Susan. Her health is declining, and she is looking for better access to care.

Loella has a history of obesity. Her current BMI is 38 kg/m² and her waist circumference 113 cm. She has severe bilateral knee osteoarthritis and ischaemic heart disease following a non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction three years ago. Her cardiovascular condition is stable on secondary prevention therapy.

CPD

This unit of check is approved for 10 hours of CPD activity (two hours per case). The 10 hours, when completed, including the online questions, comprise five hours’ Educational Activities and five hours’ Reviewing Performance.
Educational
Activities
5
hours
Measuring
Outcomes
0
hours
Reviewing
Performance
5
hours

Complete check online

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  1. Log into myCPD home page
  2. Select 'Browse' and search for 1348185
  3. Select the course and register

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