ELI Lilly Australia and Monash University have joined forces to launch a new healthcare initiative that helps the management of obesity.

With a focus on improved documentation, monitoring and treatment, the initiative will create bespoke projects to improve associated conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes through areas such as education, training, clinical research and data.

“Obesity is Australia’s leading contributor to disease burden – having recently overtaken tobacco smoking – yet it remains one of the most under-recognised and under-treated risk factors for disease,” said cardiology professor Stephen Nicholls, who led the project with his colleagues.

According to Lilly’s new real-world evidence findings, 70% of patients who use cardiology services were overweight or obese, but fewer than 1% had their waist circumference recorded over four years.

Risk assessments often rely on BMI, but regular weight and anthropometric evaluations are a better way to manage obesity, said Dr Peter Purnell, co-lead author of the study.

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