Australia now has one of the highest obesity rates in the world. With over 60% of Australians now above a healthy weight, it’s fair to say Australia’s ‘battle of the bulge’ is growing to epidemic proportions. As our population ages, older Australians (over 55 years of age) are being caught up in this health crisis. Older people are now 6-7 kilograms heavier than their counterparts were 20 years ago.

With our more sedentary lifestyle and easier access to energy-dense foods, this problem is set to continue, fuelled by children and young adults gaining weight at a higher rate than ever before. With an estimated 1 in 3 Australian adults becoming obese by 2025, it’s an issue that healthcare providers need to plan for today.

We know that obesity contributes to a range of medical problems. People carrying excess weight are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, kidney disease, osteoarthritis, and other chronic conditions.

For our healthcare system, this translates into more frequent hospital admissions and longer stays. This increasing reliance on healthcare has serious implications for hospitals, for nurses and carers, and for aged care facilities. The annual cost of treating obesity-related diseases is projected to increase from $8 billion (in 2012) to $21 billion by 2025. Looking at that number, it’s important to recognise its implications on not only the provision of services, pharmaceuticals and care, but also on the increasing need for specialised equipment to accommodate larger and heavier patients.

This investment includes providing wider and stronger trolleys, wheelchairs, armchairs and beds. Bariatric monitoring and assistance equipment also needs to be factored in, as well as pressure care solutions for patients who are bedridden for prolonged periods. Additionally, there is also an important health and safety concern for nurses and carers. The manual handling of obese patients poses significant challenges for both the patients themselves, and for those caring for them.

Occupational injuries are reportedly highest for staff of hospitals, residential and aged care services, and are predominantly related to manual lifting and transferring of patients. In some healthcare facilities, full-time safety staff have been appointed to oversee safe manual handling of obese patients due to staff injuries.