The “long-term savings” from weight loss is “huge” in terms of public health, according to a leading dietician.

It comes as a new study by the NHS found that a group of men who were incentivised to lose weight through a financial payment after 12 months, lost almost five times more than those without a financial incentive.

A study by the WHO earlier this year found Ireland was one of the most overweight countries on earth, with 60% of adults either obese or overweight - well above the global average of 12.5%.

On Newstalk Breakfast today, eatwell.ie founder Sarah Keogh said motivating people to lose weight is half the battle.

“You’d be surprised the number of people who don’t recognise health benefits in relation to weight and only see it in relation to what you look like,” she said.

“If health isn’t a motivating factor for you, it can be hard to get people to do it.”

An obese couple walk alongside a harbour in September 2015. Picture by: Steve Morris / Alamy Stock Photo

Ms Keogh said the NHS’s year-long study had some interesting findings.

“They found the average weight loss of those incentivised financially was 5% of their body weight, which worked out at about 5.7kg [per person],” she said.

“In comparison, the group that just got motivational text messages lost 2.7kg of their weight and a control group lost 1.3kg of their weight.

“5.7kg might not sound like a lot of weight loss, but if you lose 5% of your weight you see liver fat goes down and insulin sensitivity goes up which improves diabetes and cholesterol and blood pressure goes down.

“Weight loss is actually saving us money.”

Weight loss benefits

Ms Keogh said Ozempic as a treatment for those with obesity is also beneficial for public health.

“We’re seeing reductions in breast cancer already,” she said.

“Obesity is a big predictor of people with breast cancer; we’re seeing improvements in natural killer cells, your natural cancer-fighting cells in your body, which go down in people with obesity.

“It's one of the reasons obesity is linked with 13 types of cancer.

“The long-term savings of this is huge.”

For those looking to lose weight, your GP may be able to refer you to the HSE’s Best Health programme, which is a 12-month course run by dieticians.

You can listen back here:

Main image: An overweight man chasing a dollar bill. Image: Ivan Chiosea / Alamy Stock Photo