Dr. Mick Crotty

A new study has shown that many lifts are now becoming unsafe due to the rise in obesity.

The report by University College London says that lift capacities have not changed over the past two decades and they fail to take into account the weight increase in the general population.

Dr Mick Crotty is the clinical lead for obesity with the Irish College of GPs.

Good morning to you Mick.

How are you?

I'm very well.

Thanks for being with us.

Does it make sense to you that lifts and perhaps other infrastructure mightn't be safe anymore when they're at maximum capacity because we are heavier?

And do you think then that manufacturers need to address this, that it is an issue that needs to be looked at?

Yeah, so it is an issue then in healthcare as well that you need different sorts of, as you say, seating, gurneys, because dignity is hugely important here, isn't it?

That people are treated with respect, that they don't feel embarrassed and stigmatised.

Now, I wanted to ask you as well about a development in this area, which people might read about today in the news, this new weight loss medication in tablet form every day, cheaper than the injections.

And the reporting, the BBC says that it might help people keep the weight off after using GLP-1s like Ozempic.

What do you make of this new drug that's available?

Orforglipron, if I'm saying that correctly?

But from your point of view as clinical lead for obesity with the Irish College of GPs, Mick, are you seeing that these new weight loss medications are changing the obesity picture in Ireland?

All right, Mick, thank you very much for your time this morning.

That's Dr. Mick Crotty there.

We're going to take a break.

Plenty more to come.