A one off subsidy to attend short term weight loss programs is just a dangerous bandaid because programs won't address serious risk factors associated with being overweight or obese, warns Australia's leading nutrition organisation the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA).

The Association says more money needs to be put into obesity management, but it does not believe this proposal from the Australian General Practice Network is a solution.

Vice-President of the Dietitians Association of Australia, and Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian, Ms Julie Dundon, explained, 'Australians need long term, evidence based approaches to losing weight and keeping it off and to related chronic diseases or we are just putting bandaids on problems that need stitches. People who are overweight or obese often have other health problems like diabetes and heart disease or they are at very high risk of developing them. So it is critical they are also assessed and managed by qualified health professionals'.
 

But for those most in need, there is currently a huge gap in access to specialised care from allied health professionals like Accredited Practising Dietitians and that is why DAA is calling for:

- extension of allied health Medicare items to cover dietary management of obesity, especially childhood obesity

- extension of the number and type of Medicare rebates allowed per annum for allied health services provided to individuals and groups

'The current Medicare rebate covers only five individual visits per year, in total, for all allied health services, plus limited group services for people with type 2 diabetes, and doesn't include treating overweight or obesity. It is simply not enough for Australians with chronic or complex medical problems and no help at all to the huge number of overweight and obese Australians headed for chronic disease'.

Ms Dundon also stressed the importance of doctors and allied health professionals working side by side to address the obesity crisis.

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) is the professional body representing dietitians nationally. Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) is the only national credential recognised by the Australian Government, Medicare, the Department of Veterans Affairs and most private health funds as the quality standard for nutrition and dietetics services in Australia.