In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, bariatric surgeon Dr Alex Craven joins The Bari Chronicles to dismantle the myths that continue to shape how obesity is treated — and mistreated — in Australia.

From the false belief that people can simply “eat less and move more,” to the idea that metabolic surgery is dangerous, extreme, or a last resort, Dr Craven explains why these narratives are not only wrong, but actively harmful. Drawing on decades of clinical evidence and lived patient experience, he reframes obesity as a complex, biological disease — not a personal failure.

This episode explores why effective obesity treatment must protect mental health, preserve a healthy relationship with food, and be offered with the same objectivity as any other life-saving medical therapy. It is a conversation about dignity, evidence, and why listening to lived experience is no longer optional in modern healthcare.