Obesity

Background

According to WHO, obesity in Europe has reached epidemic proportions and is causing one million deaths in Europe every year. Its prevalence has tripled in the last two decades, and if no action is taken there will be an estimated 150 million obese adults (20 per cent of the population) and 15 million obese children and adolescents (10 per cent of the population) in the WHO European Region by 2010. Obesity is already responsible for 2-8 per cent of health costs and 10-13 per cent of deaths in different parts of the Region.

There are three main types of treatments for obesity: Therapy (cognitive or behavioral), medical treatment and Surgery. Surgery is the method that has a proven long term effect on obese patients. Recently, data from the Swedish Obesity Study (SOS) was presented including over 6 000 patients, some of whom had been monitored for 20 years. The study confirmed that treatment of obesity by Bariatric surgery decreased mortality by 32,7 per cent over a 15 year period compared to the control group that were treated by primary care institutions. It also shows markedly reduced incidences of diabetes and increased recovery from existing diabetes.

Strategy

Global Health Partner believes that the market for treating obesity is severely underserved and that demand is likely to increase. Therefore we have decided to make obesity treatment our fourth Service Line and we intend to open a number of clinics for specialist treatment of morbid obesity in Europe over the coming years. These treatment centres will offer both surgical treatment and non-surgical treatment.

For this purpose, Global Health Partner has entered into a ten year development agreement with Sahlgrenska University Hospital (SU). The objective of the collaboration is to develop a model for optimal treatment of obesity as well as contribute to research and development of new treatment modalities. The work includes the development of clinical protocols for quality assured, best practice, and measured treatment of patients suffering from obesity.

The clinical protocols are completed and implemented by SU and Global Health Partner during 2008. Global Health Partner is presently engaged as majority owner of the leading private barriatric clinic in Sweden, based at the Sophiahemmet hospital in Stockholm. Start-up activitives include two new clinics in Sweden, one in Denmark and one in Norway.

Clinics

Vitaklinikerna vid Sophiahemmet