The book is needed for several reasons. Bariatric surgery is one of the most clinically effective and cost effective services in any field of medicine, and is growing in popularity, and the non-specialist family practitioner, allied health professional and pharmacist need to know exactly what it involves. Bariatric surgery is in everyone's interest - whether medic or patient, as it offers improvement in diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnoea, fatty liver and many cancers, whilst reducing benefits, housing costs and the general burden on the economy. 

There is a lot of flawed thinking on surgery in primary care, with only a minority of family practitioner specialists making the majority of referrals, whilst many are denying their patients access because of their own misconceived ideas. A 'back to basics' book will help tackle the negative views surrounding the topic, and improve the volume and quality of referrals. Very often patients turning up to obesity centres have been given poor advice, and inappropriate treatment, and arrive with little or no idea what to expect. 

Many medics prioritise other conditions first, overlooking the underlying cause, i.e. obesity. Basic education on obesity and co-morbidities is fast becoming essential.

1: Obesity in context; what is the need for assessment and management of obesity and related conditions

2: The Global problem of obesity, and the nature of the epidemic
3: Obesity; a recent epidemic? nothing new under the sun
4: Obesity: dental and metabolic health
5: Commercial Weight Loss Plans
6: The Role of Formula Very Low and Low Energy Diets in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes management
7: The key role of the nurse practitioner in obesity management
8: Pharmaceutical management of obesity and related conditions
9: Physical activity and exercise: Challenging misconceptions and considerations for people with obesity
10: Recognising and eradicating weight stigma and discrimination from healthcare
11: setting up a tier 3 service and the barriers to it
12: Commissioning of weight management services
13: The staff roles and facilities in a tier 3 service
14: . The role of the psychologist in weight management and bariatric surgery
15: Health. Macronutrient digestion and the resulting impact on hormones and body weight
16: Teaching Kitchens for nutritional education and cooking skills
17: Intro to Luton
18: The commissioning process
19: Specialist dietitian
20: Specialist bariatric nurse
21: Bariatric psychologist, and extended team
22: Bariatric anaesthetist
23: Specialist bariatric nurse post-operative care
24: Specialist bariatric nurse. The surgical process
25: Education and continuous learning
26: Case studies.