Heart Foundation to assemble national taskforce to manage obesity crisis

The Heart Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fighting the single biggest killer of people in Australia – heart disease, is looking to unite clinical experts and peak bodies to form consensus and new guidance to tackle one of Australia's most pressing health challenges - the intersection of obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Overweight and obesity affects two-thirds of Australian adults and significantly increases risk of developing an array of chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease. The Heart Foundation will assemble a national taskforce to develop a consensus statement on the management of obesity in the context of cardiovascular disease in the coming months.

Despite obesity being a well-established risk factor for heart conditions such as atherosclerosis, heart failure, and arrhythmias, it remains under-recognised as a modifiable risk factor that can be prevented through a growing number of clinical interventions.

With an explosion of new pharmacological treatments on the horizon for weight loss such as GLP-1 agonists (more commonly known as Ozempic and Egovy, for example) showing cardiovascular benefits, clear clinical guidance is needed now more than ever for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public.

To address this gap, the Heart Foundation will bring together leading experts from the clinical and chronic disease sectors to develop practical clinical advice on the best approaches to diagnosing and managing obesity as it relates to cardiovascular health. The initiative will follow a structured approach, including:

• Taskforce Formation: a team of national experts will guide the statement's development.

• Joint Stakeholder Meeting: expert discussions on key clinical and policy considerations.

• Published Consensus Statement: providing evidence-based, practical guidance for health professionals.

Heart Foundation Chief Medical Adviser, Professor Garry Jennings, emphasised “Obesity is a leading driver of cardiovascular disease, yet its role in cardiovascular health is often overlooked. We are lucky to have a number of new treatment options available, and many more on the horizon, to not only support weight loss but also improve cardiovascular outcomes in people that need it most. This consensus statement will provide much-needed guidance for clinicians and reinforce the importance of tackling obesity as part of heart disease prevention."

Cardiometabolic health is a key focus of the Heart Foundation's new 25-year vision for heart health in Australia, Health for Every Heart.

More information on the Heart Foundation