The University of New South Wales will host a new centre targeting primary care in obesity to improve access to services and management of the widespread, chronic condition.

 

The Centre for Obesity Management and Prevention Research Excellence in Primary Health Care has been funded by the Commonwealth Government under a $7.5 million ANU Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute program.

 

One in four adults and one in 12 children are obese in Australia and the UNSW-based centre will help people with lifestyle changes to achieve their weight goals, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Sydney, Deakin University and the University of Adelaide.

 

UNSW Professor Mark Harris will lead the new research program.

 

UNSW will also partner with the University of Technology, Sydney and the University of Queensland in the Centre of Research Excellence in the Finance and Economics of Primary Care.