We were delighted to attend and contribute to the 2025 Australia New Zealand Obesity Society (ANZOS) Annual Scientific Meeting in Perth. This year, it was especially meaningful to see so many voices from our collective and our close partners like the Weight Issues Network (WIN) shaping conversations on obesity, care, and lived experience.
Our advisors led engaging discussions, including a presentation by Louise Baur on the Lancet Commission on Clinical Obesity, exploring its rationale, diagnosis, and implications for practice. WIN representatives—Lyn Keppler, Colette McCracken, and Theresa Thompson—shared insights into the lived experience of obesity, highlighting advocacy and the human stories behind the statistics. Dr. Kathryn Williams, our advisor and endocrinologist, moderated these important conversations.
Our team members Dr. Kimberley Norman and Monica Garner also presented a qualitative study, “Understanding the experience of living with obesity: A co-design photovoice exploration with an obesity lived experience consumer group,” which centres the voices of lived experience to explore real-world challenges and stigma. This research reinforces the importance of person-centred care and listening to those with lived experience to drive better outcomes.
We were thrilled to see Dr. Zanab Malik, a member of our stigma team, receive the ANZOS 2025 Young Investigator Award. Tim Gill, our Director, had the honour of presenting Zanab with the award, and Zanab also shared her research while acknowledging the contribution of The Obesity Collective.
ANZOS 2025 was a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration, lived experience, and translating research into real-world impact. We left inspired and more determined than ever to work towards better care, understanding, and advocacy for people living with obesity.
