This has highlighted the growing number of islanders living with obesity and shown the importance of developing more weight-management services.
The commission’s programmes have focused on this topic across all age ranges in different ways, from encouraging healthy eating and active travel among youngsters, to providing direct support for adults.
‘We know that obesity affects about a quarter of our population, and overweight and obesity for over half our population,’ said healthier weight lead Ellie Gould, pictured.
One specific area in which there has been an increase in obesity is among pregnant women, says the report, with the latest figures showing an increase from 20% in 2017 to 29% in 2023.
During that time referrals were made to an antenatal weight management service, but engagement was low, said HIC, with only nine of 45 women referred taking part.
Following a review of the dietetics service in 2025 it was now possible for midwives to point pregnant women living with obesity to tools that can support them.
Ms Gould said that the lack of women engaging with the service was not just a local issue.
‘I don’t think it’s unique to the island, so it is a problem, and it is something that we’ve been trying to solve, and we’re still working on it.’
Another programme, Oviva, was brought in at the end of 2024 and up to January this year it saw 225 referrals, with 141 people enrolling and 130 engaging with a health coach. The average weight change at 12 weeks for those who engaged with a coach was down 2.62% – about 2.5kg.
A new programme has been developed that will provide a Tier 3 service that might include access to obesity medications.
But Ms Gould said that the commission was not just focusing on weight and obesity as an outcome, but also on the health of children.
‘We’ve got a new public health strategy that we’re hoping will be written over the coming years, and this will take a much wider look at diet and nutrition, as well as physical activity, and think about the building blocks for health and all of the wider determinants that impact children’s health,’ she said.
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