The Addressing Overweight and Obesity Project was a local initiative of NSW Regional Health Partners and was funded by Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI). The Project was commissioned in recognition that there are significant, often collaborative, healthy weight initiatives across the NSWRHP organisations, and there is value in collating and analysing information about them to assist the partners in future planning and decision-making. 

Findings from the project indicate that age-standardised rates of overweight and obesity in the NSWRHP geographical area were higher than the national averages for men, women and adults overall. In contrast, overweight and obesity rates were significantly lower than the national average for boys, girls and children overall. Unfortunately these promising results were not sustained upon modelling of children with obesity only (i.e. not overweight), where the rates were higher than the national average for boys, girls and children overall.

A costing study demonstrates the annual total direct healthcare costs attributable to overweight and obesity in the NSWRHP geographical area are currently $486,593,812. With expected population increases and current obesity trends, this cost will increase by 3% each year to a total direct healthcare cost of $565,743,290 (adjusted for inflation) in 2023.

Overall 99 programs, research projects and services were identified in the Addressing Overweight and Obesity scoping with over half targeting children. Two-thirds of the programs and projects focus on promoting healthy eating, increasing physical activity and/or decreasing inactivity. Twenty-seven treatment programs and services were identified across the eight NSWRHP organisations; however only two provided intensive treatment options for severe complex obesity and neither are currently delivered due to a lack of funding and/or resources. Eighty-one of the programs, projects and services identified were undergoing some type of evaluation (82%) with 62 randomised control trials (77%).