A review of the management of obesity in primary care

Parretti, H. M., Erskine, S. E., Coulman, K. D., Mears, R., Clare, K., Williamson, K., Watkins, R. and Hughes, C. A. (2025) A review of the management of obesity in primary care. Clinical Obesity. ISSN 1758-8103

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Abstract

This review highlights the important role primary care plays in obesity management, using England as an example. It includes a comprehensive summary of current management and referral options for primary care clinicians, a discussion of the most up-to-date clinical guidelines for the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists in England, and the evolving ways in which obesity is identified and defined. Reflections from people living with obesity are considered. Despite the potential of primary care to engage with patients regarding obesity prevention and treatment, several factors have limited this, including low prioritisation by clinicians, workload pressures, regional variations in services, insufficient specialist training and ongoing weight stigma. The introduction of new pharmacotherapies, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, offers both an opportunity and a challenge for primary care providers. These treatments could help patients access more effective obesity management strategies via primary care. However, there is concern about non-specialist clinicians keeping up to date with evolving strategies and understanding how new medications fit into broader care. The current complex referral pathways hinder timely access to appropriate treatment. The need for more straightforward pathways, improved clinician education and a reduction in the stigma associated with obesity is critical for better outcomes. In summary, while primary care could play a pivotal role in addressing obesity, several issues need to be resolved for this potential to be fully realised. Addressing these challenges, via enhancing clinician training, improving referral pathways and ensuring access to new treatments, will be crucial for advancing the care of people living with obesity.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Data Availability Statement: Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study. Funding: S.E.E. holds a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Lectureship. R.W. held a Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board/University of East Anglia fellowship during the writing of this paper. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Universities listed, NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Norwich Epidemiology Centre Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Norwich Epidemiology Centre Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Norwich Institute for Healthy Aging Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Nutrition and Preventive Medicine Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Public Health
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	22 Aug 2025 08:30
Last Modified:	25 Aug 2025 00:29
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/100211
DOI:	10.1111/cob.70040

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