Foundations of Obesity Management: From First Consultations to Long-Term Support

Rob Andrews is an associate Professor at the University of Exeter, an Honorary Consultant Physician at Musgrove Park Hospital Taunton.

At the University he leads a group that researches the role that exercise, and diet can play in the prevention and management of diabetes and obesity.

In Taunton, he leads the diabetes and obesity Research team. Until last year he was the medical lead for a large multidisciplinary weight management service. This is a holistic service offering specialised dietary and exercise programs, drug therapy and bariatric surgery as well as running clinics for people with eating disorders and complications post surgery. In recognition of this service, Taunton is designated an International Centre of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery.

Dr Chen is a specialist consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology with a particular interest in weight loss and weight management medications. Specialties Include:

• Type 1 & 2 Diabetes
• Endocrinology
• Bariatric Medicine
• Diabetes Technology
• Closed Loop Systems
• Diabetes Pumps
• Lipid disorders
• Weight Management

Dr Katie Hesketh is an Assistant Professor in Exercise Prescription at the University of Birmingham. Her research examines how physical activity interventions can be used as an effective non-pharmacological strategy in disease management. She has a particular interest in applying behaviour change techniques (BCTs) to support sustainable lifestyle change in people living with, or at risk of, obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Katie’s current work explores how mobile health technologies can be used to enhance exercise adherence and long-term behaviour change across a range of clinical populations.

Dr Adrian Brown is a NIHR Advanced Fellow and Associate Professor (Principal Research Fellow) in Nutrition and Dietetics at the Centre of Obesity Research at University College London (UCL), which he co-leads. He also serves as programme co-Lead for the MSc Dietetics (Pre-registration) course at UCL. With over 19 years of clinical experience, he is a Senior Specialist Weight Management and Bariatric Dietitian and holds a PhD in Medicine from Imperial College London.

His research spans a wide range of topics related to obesity and nutrition, including type 2 diabetes, bariatric surgery, weight stigma, ultra-processed foods, food insecurity, sustainability, and the use of formula-based diets in various patient populations. His current NIHR Advanced Fellowship focuses on weight loss in people living with obesity and kidney failure who are undergoing haemodialysis prior to kidney transplantation.

Dr Brown plays a leading role in shaping the field of obesity and dietetics. He is Chair of the Specialist Obesity Group for the British Dietetic Association, a trustee of the Academy of Nutrition Science, a member of the strategic council for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity and serves on the scientific council of the British Nutrition Foundation. In addition to his research and leadership roles, he contributes to academic publishing as Associate Editor for Clinical Obesity and as an editor of the Manual of Dietetic Practice.

Professor Barber is Consultant Endocrinologist and Professor of Endocrinology at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust and University of Warwick, with 27 years clinical experience. Nationally respected obesity expert within the UK. Extensive experience and expertise in the management of obesity and diabetes across the entire treatment landscape. Published 161 papers in leading peer-reviewed journals including the New England Journal of Medicine and Lancet (h-index 47, i-10 index 107; >9,700 citations) and Editor in Chief for Expert Review in Endocrinology and Metabolism.  Clinical lead for obesity service (tier 3) at UHCW for the last 15 years, with >1000 patient referrals per year. MA (Hons) from Cambridge University and DPhil from the University of Oxford. Secured >£2.5M in external competitive grant funding. Awarded National (N2) Clinical Impact Award (2024 round). Professor Barber engages regularly with national media on topics related to human metabolism and obesity, has appeared on all UK-based terrestrial channels, and has done interviews for numerous podcasts. Scientific lead for the Human Metabolism Research Unit at UHCW.

Irena is WM Nurse Specialist and Independent Prescriber at Musgrove Park Hospital, Somerset NHS FT. She initiates and follows up patients on injectable weight loss medications and has established clinics for genetic testing for Obesity.

Irena is involved in research projects to improve service delivery, using real world data from clinical practice.

She sat on NICE MTAC as a specialist committee member for early value assessment: digital technologies for providing specialist weight-management service. She is a member of the National Obesity Database Steering Group.

Irena has extensive nursing career in variety of acute clinical settings. She has made successful contribution to clinical research leading on COVID and diabetes trials and was a lead research nurse on STEP 1 trial, which aimed to assess the effect and safety of Semaglutide 2.4 mg once weekly in subjects with overweight or obesity. Despite being the smallest site in UK, their team had one of the best retention rates in the country and Irena was asked to share their success on international level. 

Irena recently wrote and had published by NICE, an inspiring case-study. It focusses on Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which pioneered the use of liraglutide in early 2021 and provides an overview of how injectable anti-obesity medications are being integrated into specialist weight management services, particularly for individuals with complex needs. The case study underscores the importance of tailored care, adequate staffing, and the integration of genetic insights in managing obesity, especially among individuals with complex needs and can be read in detail here > > https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng246/resources/injectable-antiobesity-medications-in-specialist-weight-management-services-supporting-people-with-complex-needs-15305080861/chapter/Overview

Dimitri Pournaras graduated from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece and undertook all his postgraduate training in the UK. He was awarded Research Fellowship by the Royal College of Surgeons of England to conduct research on obesity, diabetes and metabolic surgery.  He completed his PhD in the Department of Investigative Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London and then trained in all aspects of laparoscopic oesophagogastric surgery in Cambridge and Norwich. Following a Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Fellowship approved by the Royal College of Surgeons, he was appointed as a Consultant in Bristol where he works as part of a multidisciplinary team.  He is on the editorial board of journals Obesity Surgery and Clinical Obesity and has authored more than 50 peer reviewed publications, including articles in the Lancet, the Annals of Surgery, the British Journal of Surgery and the British Medical Journal. He delivers more than 10 invited international lectures every year.

Dr Emily McBride is a clinical academic Health Psychologist and Behavioural Scientist passionate about obesity management and prevention. She splits her time between NHS practice as Principal Health Psychologist in Bariatric Surgery at Lewisham Hospital, and academia as a Clinical Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at King’s College London. She has research streams and funded grants underway in psychological aspects of bariatric surgery and obesity prevention. Emily is also Psychologist Lead on Council for the British Obesity and Metabolic Specialist Society. 

Prior to this, Emily was Senior Research Fellow at University College London (UCL) where she held an NIHR research fellowship and has also worked in leading NHS trusts. She has held senior policy roles such as Senior Behavioural Scientist for the UK Government Department of Health and Social Care, and Policy Lead for the British Psychological Society. 

Emily holds a PhD in Behavioural Science from UCL and Yale University, which won her three national recognition awards. She also holds a Doctoral-level professional degree, and MSc and BSc(Hons), all of which she completed in Scotland. 

Alex Miras is Professor of Endocrinology at Ulster University. His clinical and research work focus solely on Obesity and type 2 diabetes. He has contributed to the clinical management and research in Obesity over the last 15 years, through his work at a high throughput Obesity Centre. The specialist interests of his research Group are the mechanisms of action of interventions for obesity, focusing on pharmacotherapy, medical devices and obesity surgery.

Rob Andrews is an associate Professor at the University of Exeter, an Honorary Consultant Physician at Musgrove Park Hospital Taunton.

At the University he leads a group that researches the role that exercise, and diet can play in the prevention and management of diabetes and obesity.

In Taunton, he leads the diabetes and obesity Research team. Until last year he was the medical lead for a large multidisciplinary weight management service. This is a holistic service offering specialised dietary and exercise programs, drug therapy and bariatric surgery as well as running clinics for people with eating disorders and complications post surgery. In recognition of this service, Taunton is designated an International Centre of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery.

Irena is WM Nurse Specialist and Independent Prescriber at Musgrove Park Hospital, Somerset NHS FT. She initiates and follows up patients on injectable weight loss medications and has established clinics for genetic testing for Obesity.

Irena is involved in research projects to improve service delivery, using real world data from clinical practice.

She sat on NICE MTAC as a specialist committee member for early value assessment: digital technologies for providing specialist weight-management service. She is a member of the National Obesity Database Steering Group.

Irena has extensive nursing career in variety of acute clinical settings. She has made successful contribution to clinical research leading on COVID and diabetes trials and was a lead research nurse on STEP 1 trial, which aimed to assess the effect and safety of Semaglutide 2.4 mg once weekly in subjects with overweight or obesity. Despite being the smallest site in UK, their team had one of the best retention rates in the country and Irena was asked to share their success on international level. 

Irena recently wrote and had published by NICE, an inspiring case-study. It focusses on Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which pioneered the use of liraglutide in early 2021 and provides an overview of how injectable anti-obesity medications are being integrated into specialist weight management services, particularly for individuals with complex needs. The case study underscores the importance of tailored care, adequate staffing, and the integration of genetic insights in managing obesity, especially among individuals with complex needs and can be read in detail here > > https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng246/resources/injectable-antiobesity-medications-in-specialist-weight-management-services-supporting-people-with-complex-needs-15305080861/chapter/Overview