The rate of adults in Hunter New England and Central Coast who are overweight or living with obesity has fallen to 59.7 per cent, federal data shows.
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This represented a 6.8 per cent drop in seven years, and was below the national rate of 65 per cent.
Professor Clare Collins, a University of Newcastle nutrition expert, said "this is a bit of good news for the Hunter".
"We can give some praise to the efforts of the PHN [primary health network], area health service, NSW Health as well," Professor Collins said.
"Let's pat ourselves on the back for living a healthier lifestyle and keep it up."
Professor Collins said it was unlikely that the fall in overweight and obesity rates could be attributed to drugs being used for weight loss, such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.
There had been "rapid uptake" of these drugs, but mostly in the last two years.
The weight data, released this week by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], was for the year 2022.
"I want to be the optimist and say the worst is behind us," Professor Collins said.
"They say supplies of Ozempic will be fully established for Australia by the end of the year."
The Hunter New England and Central Coast rate of 59.7 per cent was the third best among NSW's nine primary health networks.
The worst two were Western NSW (78.9 per cent) and South Eastern NSW (71.4 per cent).
The best two were Northern Sydney (46.4 per cent) and Central and Eastern Sydney (57.6 per cent).
The data also showed the national rate fell from 66 per cent in 2017-18 to 65 per cent in 2022.
An AIHW statement said people who were overweight or living with obesity were at risk for "many chronic conditions" and "higher rates of death".
Professor Collins said the data - which measured height and weight - gave "reason for more hope".
"Maybe this is an early alert, as it's 2022 data," she said.
She said treatment of obesity with drugs such as Ozempic will "become the norm and more accessible".
"At the moment, Ozempic is really for people who have type 2 diabetes.
"I'm optimistic because internationally, use of those medications is becoming a gateway to better health treatment."
Professor Collins is co-chair of the advisory group for Australian obesity treatment guidelines that are in development.
"With the recognition of obesity as a distinct health problem, and awareness of stigma, we have every reason to hope we won't continue to see the prevalence of obesity rise.
"When you drill down, there still has been an increase in more severe levels of obesity.
"That's the level at which health is more likely to be affected."
The severe obesity statistic rose nationally from 4.9 per cent of adults in 1995 to 12.6 per cent in 2022.
Given this, she said "we can't rest on our laurels".
"We need to be ready to embrace any recommendations in health policy and obesity treatment.
"We've got to lobby to get obesity treatment onto the PBS."
