This week on Shift It, I am joined by Dr Tony Brancatisano. Tony is a senior bariatric medical professional and research scientist with almost 17 years of experience in surgical and medical weight management. We discuss why people gain weight and the options available to prevent or reverse it.

Dr Tony likens weight management and solutions to having lots of tools in the toolbox; there are many options, and some will work better than others for some individuals. Given that 66% of Australians are classified as overweight or obese, there is no one size fits all approach to weight loss. He debunks the misconception that gaining weight is a lifestyle problem instead of a chronic disease, which can often be genetic.

We discuss the different treatment options like weight loss medications, VLEDs and bariatric surgery. Tony explains how each of these methods work, including the difference between targeting the brain and the body in weight loss strategies and how not all meal replacements on the market can be considered VLEDs.

Tony loves to see the lives of his bariatric patients change for the better after surgery, and urges everyone to be proactive about their weight loss and not wait until it's too late.