Roughly 60% of Portuguese are at risk of obesity. This is the claim of Paula Freitas, the president of the Portuguese Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism who explains that two key ‘issues’ in this modern-day scourge are the “lack of political will” to tackle the causes, and the high cost of medication prescribed in treatment. Ms Freitas stresses that obesity can lead to more than 200 diseases – which in themselves tend to cost the State dearly. In her perspective, it makes much more sense to treat obesity more effectively (with multi-disciplinary teams) and ensure that the cost of medication is subsidised by the State.
Roughly 60% of Portuguese at risk of diabetes; medication “too expensive”
