PLANS TO INCREASE CAPACITY AT UHG WEIGHT LOSS CLINIC

Date Published: 03-Nov-2011

The HSE West is making moves to increase the capacity of its weight loss clinic at University Hospital Galway to deal with increased patient numbers.

The clinic, which is the only one in the HSE West region, currently deals with around 20 new patients and 80 repeat patients every month.

However, with an estimated 1 to 2 percent of the adult population in the region clinically obese, 10 thousand adults could be referred to the clinic.

A person with a body mass index, which is a calculation based on height relative to weight, of over 30 is defined as 'clinically obese'.

Consultant endocrinologist at UHG, Dr.Francis Finucane, says their department is working to meet the needs of the population.