HealthSpan as a treatment goal: Obesity medications, diet and exercise in chronic disease prevention

This UWA HealthSpan Institute event convenes a panel of global experts to discuss obesity management and chronic disease prevention.

Increased lifespan is one of the great achievements of the past century, but HealthSpan is not keeping pace. Between 1990 and 2020 the number of years lost to living with ill-health increased by 30%. This has economic implications for healthcare costs, constriction of working age, and reduced labour input of family care-givers.

HealthSpan focusses on prolonging health and well-being, rather that reacting to disease manifestation to prevent death. It can be defined as the number of healthy, autonomous, productive and fulfilling years of life free of debilitating disease.

A world first study at UWA has been investigating the effects of a once weekly incretin-based therapy and resistance exercise training (the T-REX study*), on body composition, muscle mass, strength and functional capacity, combined with cardiovascular and metabolic health measures.

**An investigator initiated trial (IIT) conducted at UWA with drug supplied by Eli Lilly.

PRESENTERS

Winthrop Professor Daniel Green, UWA (Chair): Have we cured obesity by inducing sarcopenia? Outcomes of the UWA-Tirzepatide and Resistance Exercise TREx) study

Professor Keith George (Liverpool John Moores University, UK): Weight reduction medications, exercise & heart structure, function and health in humans

Professor Helen Jones (Liverpool John Moores University, UK): Weight reduction medications, exercise and macrovascular health

Professor Maureen MacDonald (McMaster University, Canada): Weight reduction medications, exercise and microvessel health

Professor Stu Phillips (McMaster University, Canada): Weight Loss Medications and Exercise: Preserving Muscle Mass and Function

Professor John Hawley (Australian Catholic University, Melbourne): Weight Loss Medications & Exercise: Safeguarding Muscle Metabolism

Professor Rob Daly (Deakin University, Melbourne): Effective exercise interventions to support bone health during anti-obesity treatment

Professor Louise Burke (Australian Catholic University, Melbourne): Weight reduction medications and dietary considerations: From obesity to athletes

Professor Bu Yeap (UWA and Fiona Stanley Hospital): Incretin-based anti-obesity pharmacotherapy: effective but at what cost?

This event is presented by The University of Western Australia HealthSpan Institute, with support from Eli Lilly, HIF health insurance and the UWA Institute of Advanced Studies.