Latest news with #Waikato-based
NZ Herald
06-08-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Society Insider: All Black Damian McKenzie buys $3.5m Waikato home; Jodie Dick and Olivia Carter celebrate milestone birthdays; Auckland FC's new hospitality plans
In April, the Chiefs' player purchased the property south of Hamilton. He is understood to have officially taken ownership in May, with O'Sullivan believed to have moved into the house in June. O'Sullivan's parents, Waikato-based legendary jockey Lance, and wife Bridgette, have already visited with a housewarming gift, with Bridgette also popping over last week to help with gardening. Luckily, McKenzie and O'Sullivan's new home is just a 40-minute drive north from O'Sullivan's parents' sprawling 200ha dairy farm and estate, Rockspring in Piarere, between Cambridge and Matamata. Lance's Wexford Stables is based in Matamata. The home has won numerous awards for its architecture, which draws on Japanese influences. During McKenzie's stint playing for the Tokyo Sungoliath team during the 2022 season, he seems to have formed an affinity with Japanese culture and architecture. Damian McKenzie's new home. Photo / Bayley's website The house is owned in an equal third split between McKenzie and his parents, Moana and Brent. The trio also own two houses in Wānaka with the same investment structure. The first property was purchased in 2018 for $1.1m, and the family paid just under $1m for the second in 2019. Sitting on an expansive section, the property is surrounded by beautiful oak, elm, and ash trees, while boundary hedges offer plenty of privacy for the couple. The home is made up of three interconnected cedar-covered buildings, with an internal courtyard, and has a footprint of about 440sqm. It features open-plan living, spacious dining and living areas, including a 1970s-style sunken lounge, as well as a home office, a children's lounge, and state-of-the-art bathrooms. The main house looks out on a Palm Springs-style pool, which flows onto an elegant outdoor dining area. The sunken lounge at Damian McKenzie's new home. Photo / Bayley's website. And for visitors, there is a 93sqm cabin - described as an architectural retreat – a short walk away. While McKenzie was raised on a more than 400ha dairy farm near Waikaka, close to Gore, O'Sullivan is a Waikato local. She grew up on her parents' estate, which is also the home of The Red Barn, one of New Zealand's leading wedding and events venues. Her older sister Caitlin married her long-term partner, Tom Doyle, there earlier this year, and the newlyweds are currently enjoying the best of Italy and Greece on their honeymoon. The month before buying the house at auction, McKenzie re-signed with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and is committed to playing for the All Blacks until 2029, estimated to be earning well over $1m per year outside of sponsorship deals. Damian McKenzie at home. But the versatile player is building a career off the field, too. Society Insider has previously reported on Grins, the RTD business McKenzie owns with former All Black Stephen Donald and current teammate Anton Lienert-Brown. He is also in business with Donald, former All Black Richard Kahui, and two others, as a director and shareholder in Horsham Developments Ltd, which is listed as a residential property operation. And McKenzie will be making O'Sullivan's racing legend dad proud; he has long had an interest in horses and owns a racehorse, My Chablis, with fellow All Black Jordie Barrett as part of a syndicate. The four-year-old is said to be a profitable mare with a 168% return on investment, and reportedly more than $26,000 in winnings to date. O'Sullivan is also putting the couple's new home to work. The house has plenty of space to work from home with her digital marketing and social media management company, 26 Impressions. And it's understood she has already filmed content at the house. 26 Impressions does social media management and marketing for healthy pre-made meal service Clean Eats, as well as for Red Barn. Georgia O'Sullivan's at home content shoot for her marketing agency. Georgia O'Sullivan. McKenzie, 30, and O'Sullivan, 27, are believed to have met more than a decade ago, when McKenzie was doing a Bachelor of Communications in between his rugby, at the University of Waikato. Society Insider first reported the pair were dating last September, and since going public with their relationship, O'Sullivan has cheered McKenzie on from the rugby sidelines, and he has attended a few horse races with her, too. The pair have attended friends' and O'Sullivan's sister's weddings together, played golf in Te Arai, north of Auckland, and enjoyed time at the O'Sullivans' impressive Mount Maunganui beachside retreat. With the latest move, there are engagement rumours swirling, but neither O'Sullivan nor McKenzie would comment. Damian McKenzie and Georgia O'Sullivan. Birthday Belles Shine Two Society Insider regulars celebrated milestone birthdays on Saturday night. Rich Lister Jodie Dick had her 50th birthday at The Northern Club, while Soul Bar and Bistro general manager, Olivia Carter, celebrated turning 40 with a 60-person dinner party - at her restaurant, of course. Jodie Dick in her Oscar De La Renta gown. Dick hosted more than a hundred of her friends and family at the Northern Club's Winter Garden. In May, we reported Dick was in Paris on the Rue de Marignan for the final fitting of her Oscar de la Renta gown that was being specially crafted for the occasion. Highly personalised gowns from de la Renta can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The final result was a stunning, ornately beaded silver gown with floral detailing cascading down into the draping of the silver fabric. The bodice was boned with a winged effect. The owner of Hartfield Jewellers in Parnell, Dick accessorised with pieces from Italian fine jeweller Pasquale Bruni - a diamond necklace with the signature floral design and a matching ring. Dick's husband, CallPlus founder Malcolm, who has an estimated wealth of more than $250m, complemented his wife in a silver dinner jacket and bow tie. Jodie and Malcolm Dick at The Northern Club. 'It was a beautiful evening,' Dick tells Society Insider. Guests adhered to the strict dress code, with men in black tie and women in black gowns. Former Real Housewives of Auckland Gilda Kirkpatrick and Anne Batley Burton were on point with the dress code, as were their other halves. Kirkpatrick was joined by her partner in life and business, James Polhill, who is the director of marketing firm Hello, and Batley Burton by her husband, investment manager Richard Burton. Also looking glamorous were Sofia Ambler and Scarlett Wood, from marketing group The Luxury Network. The Dicks' neighbour, tech multimillionaire titan Carmen Vicelich - who celebrated her own 50th last November in Rio carnival style - chose a black shimmering dress for the Northern Club. Sofia Ambler, Carmen Vicelich and Scarlett Wood at The Northern Club. Guests arrived at the Winter Garden room through draped silks and lighting created by specialists La Lumiere, with fragrant floral arrangements of orchids, roses, and hyacinths, by Michele Coomey Floral. The main room was equally impressive with abundant silk draperies, lighting, and flowers. Guests enjoyed Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Champagne and a range of cocktails, including classic margaritas and mojitos. Canapés were followed by walk-and-fork bowl food, which included salmon on rocket, beef on potato gratin, and risotto. The birthday girl's speech was set in front of lilac draping and staging by La Lumiere, and Dick spoke of the gratitude she felt for friends and family while she walked the Camino Trail in Europe earlier this year. Eagle-eyed guests had been admiring the stunning cake positioned by the stage all evening and after blowing out her candle, Dick was given a stylish hammer to crack it open, with silver confetti blown into the room from a fan inside the cake. Jodie Dick about to crack open her birthday cake. Wearing that heavily boned bodice was not ideal for dancing, so when the Dicks were ready to hit the dance floor, where singer Phil Madsen and his band had guests dancing until late, Jodie changed into a satin chartreuse pleated Gucci gown. Malcolm and Jodie Dick at The Northern Club. Jodie Dick dancing in her Gucci dress at the Northern Club. And the celebrations aren't over for the Dicks. Next week, the pair will be renewing their marriage vows at the Graceland Chapel in Las Vegas. Down at Viaduct Harbour, Carter's 40th was also a black-tie affair. And it was time for the woman Society Insider crowned the 'hostess with the mostest' in our annual awards last December to enjoy a party of her own. Olivia Carter ahead of her birthday at Soul bar & Bistro. Photo / Jared Donkin The side deck of Soul Bar & Bistro was closed off and transformed into an intimate dining room featuring one long table. Carter called in Atmosphere Events and Total Events to help raise her guests' dining experience to the next level. Curtains were hung along the restaurant windows to create intimacy, with a light installation creating a pink ambience. The tables were decorated with red grapes and dark red anthurium flowers, accentuated by black place settings. Like Dick, Carter stood out from her guests, with everyone but the birthday girl in black and white. Carter chose to wow in a custom pink tulle Trelise Cooper gown, from her good friend designer Julia Leuchars, and Carter's husband Steve wore a classic black suit. Steve Ferguson, Steve Carter and their wives, Olivia and Shelley. Photo / Jared Donkin Among Carter's guests were Rich Listers Natalie and Greg Norman, and Anna Mowbray with her husband Ali Williams, who wore a top hat; restaurateurs Josh and Helen Emett; interior designer Shelley Ferguson and husband, former Olympian Steven; Entain's Pip Eriksen and her husband William, of The Neat Meat Company. Anna Mowbray and Olivia Carter. Photo / Jared Donkin Julia Leuchars, Pip Eriksen and Helen Emett. Photo / Jared Donkin Gavin Pook, Josh Emett and Nathan Bryant-Taukiri. Photo / Jared Donkin Ali Williams. Photo / Jared Donkin Carter's favourite tipple, Champagne Mumm RSRV, was on free pour along both tables, with chicken nuggets topped with caviar to start. A three-course dinner followed, featuring tuna, grilled scallops, scotch fillet, greens, mini fries, and pomme puree. The birthday toast was made with RSRV LaLou Cuvee 2008, followed by a playful group game of paper, scissors, rock. DJs the Sweet Mix Kids kept the dance floor full after dinner to midnight, while a fabulous, large-scale cake made in-house was the cherry on top, as Carter cut and served slices of strawberry and rose water pavlova to guests as they danced the night away. Auckland FC gearing up for bigger and better second season Mike Higgins, Bill Foley, and Nick Becker. After an incredible inaugural year, Auckland FC is getting ready to kick off the new season in style, on and off the pitch. The A-league football club is co-owned by US billionaire Bill Foley, founder of Foley Entertainment Group (FEG), and this season there are plans for 'more synchronicity' between the team and his Foley Hospitality NZ group's offerings. Foley's NZ businesses include Wairarapa luxury lodge Wharekauhau Estate, wine brands including Te Kairanga, Mt Difficulty, Dashwood and Te Tera, and 10 venues, including Andiamo, Soul Bar and Bistro, and The Jervois Steak House. Foley Hospitality NZ CEO Mike Higgins, 49, says Foley, 80, who has an estimated net worth of more than US$2.5b, has challenged him and Auckland FC CEO Nick Becker to bring the wider group closer together. Higgins tells Society Insider Foley wants the pair to 'provide exceptional experiences to those that engage' with its businesses and interests. Shane Green, Nick Becker, Mike Higgins and Rob Foley. Photo / Supplied That will begin later this month, with an Auckland FC fashion show on August 28 at Soul as part of NZ Fashion Week, where the club's new kit will be revealed. 'The show will weave in New Balance's newest footwear and apparel and showcase the cutting-edge Auckland FC Kit Couture collection,' Becker tells Society Insider. 'Our lads will be modelling with professional models, and we are hoping players such as Logan Rogerson, Callan Elliot, Hiroki Sakai, and Dan Hall show the same finesse on the runway as they do on the pitch.' Auckland FC player Hiroki Sakai. Photo / Supplied Auckland FC players Dan Hall and Logan Rogerson. Photo / Supplied The idea is reminiscent of past Fashion Week runway shows that saw All Blacks players walk the catwalk in Jockey underwear. The Soul show will come the day after the new eight-part docuseries Forever Auckland FC premieres on a raft of Sky TV platforms, including Sky Open, Sky Go, Neon, and Sky Sport. The 'black and blue themed' VIP screening takes place at Event Cinemas in Newmarket next week, with Becker, his team, and players expected to attend, alongside FC co-owners Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray, and the series executive producer, Dame Julie Christie. The premier season kicks off in two months, so Higgins and Becker are making plans for special hospitality offerings for AFC's loyal fans. They're hoping this will help attract new fans, too. 'AFC members and season ticket holders will have some fantastic Foley wine, bar and restaurant deals, which we will soon reveal to them,' says Becker. This includes making an even better home for The Port (AFC's hardest core fans) at the Foley group's Tyler Street Sports bar at Auckland's Britomart this season. For away games in Wellington, Becker says there will be deals available at Foley venues Shed 5, Crab Shack and The Runholder. Becker shared another secret with Society Insider: they are looking to bring the Soul Bar experience to Go Media Stadium in Penrose this season. 'We have a VIP lounge nicknamed The Black Knight Club, which holds 500 people,' says Becker. 'This season, Soul's Group Executive Chef, Gavin Doyle and his team, will offer up a few surprises, both culinary and beverage.' Sponsors and high-rolling members are known to fork out more than $5000 to be part of the Black Knights, and Soul's infusion of hospitality will take things up a notch from the standard fare. Mowbray and Williams enjoy hosting the room; Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Dame Lisa Carrington, and a number of other sporting greats attended last season. Higgins had a 23-year career at leading advertising group Clemenger and was contemplating his semi-retirement years when Foley came into his sphere, through mutual friends in sport. He and Becker played a pivotal role in launching Auckland FC and getting a blue-chip group of sponsors on board. 'Nick and I were in a privileged position to set up a professional sports team from scratch with enviable support and resources coming from Bill Foley's sporting world in Las Vegas and Bournemouth,' Higgins tells Society Insider. Bill and Carol Foley at Wharekauhau Estate. Photo / Supplied by Wharekauhau Estate The connections between the Las Vegas arm of the business are now even stronger, with Kiwi expat Shane Green taking over as Foley Entertainment Global CEO. He is opening access to Kiwis to all the best of the Foley offerings in the US, with sponsors and suppliers in New Zealand being offered luxury adventures stateside. 'It certainly helps having a Kiwi in charge, looking out for us down here,' says Higgins. Shane Green, the Kiwi CEO of Foley Entertainment Global CEO. Photo / Paul Taylor Green and Higgins are working together to provide opportunities for their hospitality talent in NZ to work across the US portfolio, and vice versa. The group's interests may be expanding even further in NZ - there has been speculation that it is looking to extend its Queenstown offerings, with the establishment of a sister luxury lodge to Wharekauhau Estate. Higgins could not confirm but told Society Insider, 'Watch this space.' Party people of the week Samsung's SPY Bar Revival It was a night of nostalgic throwbacks as Samsung brought Auckland's 2000s nightclub scene back to life with a one-weekend-only revival of SPY Bar. The exclusive preview evening was recently held at 204 Quay St, with the reimagined space - now known as Cellar Bar - transformed into a neon-lit time capsule to celebrate the launch of two new mobile phones. SPY was iconic on the Auckland party scene from the very late 1990s to when it closed in 2016. High-profile guests in its earlier years included Nicola Robinson Evans, Eric Watson, Aja Rock, Lana Cockroft, and a host of sporting names of the time, including Matthew Ridge and Marc Ellis. The night kicked off with a welcome note from Samsung New Zealand's Morgan Bunt, who welcomed guests and got the crowd warmed up for the crescendo of the night: an epic dance battle worthy of the early 2000s. Themed cocktails flowed as media, influencers, and longtime club kids dressed in 2000s-themed outfits danced to nostalgic beats by DJ Grant Marshall on the decks amongst the Y2K-themed décor. Among the revellers were ZM's Clint Roberts, The Hits' Matty Mclean, Remix magazine publisher Tim Phin, Miss World New Zealand, Samantha Poole, actor Vinnie Bennett, make-up artist Kylee De Thier, DJ Arii Jade, and fashion influencer Jess Molina. Clint Roberts and Matty McLean at Samsung's SPY Bar Revival. Gina Henderson, Samantha Poole and Lola Elle Bellamy-Hill. Petra Pocock, Josh Young, and Samantha Poole. Miss Geena and Jess Molina. Adam and Stacy Middleton. Jade Cheah and Louis Ova. Jenny Jung, Sophie Chung and Siposetu Duncan. Mouse Varcoe and Claudia Sykes. Discovering the Cellar On Wednesday, The College Hill Wineroom hosted an intimate, invitation-only evening to showcase new, state-of-the-art subterranean storage cellars, available onsite for private collectors and aficionados of fine wine. The evening featured a panel discussion on The Rewards of Cellaring led by The Wine Room's David Nash, Jean-Christophe Poizat of fine wine merchants Maison Vauron, and Paul Brajkovich of Kumeu River – some of the country's most prominent names in wine. Dave Nash in the state-of-the-art subterranean storage cellars at Discovering the Cellar at The College Hill Wine Room. Photo / Hope Patterson Guests were treated to tastings of perfectly cellared wines from Kumeu River as well as prized bottles of Burgundy and Bordeaux, which mixed nicely with jazz from the George Brajkovich Trio. Canapés from executive chef Ryan Moore's kitchen were circulating, and below ground, a raw oyster bar greeted guests in The Residences' Barrel Room, with guided tours through the private cellars. Ryan Moore, David Nash, Milan and Paul Brajkovich at Discovering the Cellar at The College Hill Wine Room. Photo / Hope Patterson The secure cellars are temperature and humidity-controlled and offer members a full concierge service and 24/7 access to their collections, with the ability to drink their own wines in the Wine Room's restaurant with no corkage. Wine aficionados in attendance included Scarborough Group director, Ulrik Olsen, and wife Aisling; Ray White New Zealand CEO Daniel Coulson and wife Maddy of respected Ponsonby advertising firm Magnum; and Centuria NZ head of investor relations and communications, Matthew Butt. Ulrik and Aisling Olsen. Photo / Hope Patterson Daniel and Maddy Coulson. Photo / Hope Patterson Sophie Kember and Kate Lines. Photo / Hope Patterson Mike and Rosemary Simpson. Photo / Hope Patterson Robbie Dunphy and Jean-Christophe Poizat. Photo / Hope Patterson Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.
Otago Daily Times
22-07-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
News of new medical school welcomed in Waikato
By Libby Kirkby-McLeod of RNZ The announcement of a new medical school at the University of Waikato has been welcomed by local business, community, and medical leaders. The government confirmed yesterday it will fund $82.5 million of the school, with the university paying the remaining $150 million, backed by philanthropists. 'Otago is being overlooked' Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive Don Good said he had no concerns about the university being able to secure the money needed to get the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine off the ground. "There are some very wealthy families in the Waikato that you probably have never heard of, and they are very community-minded," he said. Good said people who made money in the Waikato put it back into the region. While he spoke warmly about people in Waikato, he was not so impressed with some of the actions of those outside the region. He said there had been a long-running campaign against a Waikato medical school by the existing medical schools in Auckland and Otago. But the Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences in Auckland, Professor Warwick Bagg, told Morning Report that while the university had put forward its case against a third school, it was pleased that the government had invested so heavily in medical student training. "If you are a patient waiting to see a doctor you are going to be pleased that in the years to come we will have more locally trained doctors to see, I think that's really good news," he said. Kawhia is a small coastal settlement west of Ōtorohanga, where John Burton has been a local GP for 33 years. He said he was thrilled the new medical school was happening and he wished it had happened 20 years ago. Dr Burton has trained many student doctors over the years and said he enjoyed it. But he said rural practices currently spent a lot of time training the wrong people and he was looking forward to students who were not coming from the big cities. "We have a lot of medical students come here, down from Auckland, and they all say they love it, it's wonderful experience, but for the majority of them they're Aucklanders and this is a foreign world for them and although it's a lovely adventure, it's not what they're going to end up doing." Rural Health Network chair Dr Fiona Bolden said students from rural areas who trained rurally were six times more likely to work as a rural doctor. Down the country a bit from Kawhia, Waitomo Mayor John Robertson said a Waikato-based medical school was a positive announcement for young people in his town. He said proximity to training opportunities was important. "The fact that it's so close is an advantage, and for some students they can live in the area, get a bus up to Hamilton each day," he said. A University of Waikato spokesperson told RNZ the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine would be located within a new Division of Health precinct. Detailed designs were under way and work was expected to start later this year after the main contract had been awarded and the building consent had been received. The university said it also had plans for dedicated student accommodation next to the Health Precinct for medical school students. The first students are expected to be welcomed in 2028.
Scoop
21-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
MP Tama Potaka & MP Ryan Hamilton: Waikato To Become Home Of New Medical School
Hamilton will become home to New Zealand's third medical school, with Cabinet approving the business case for the new school and the establishment of a graduate-entry medical programme at the University of Waikato, MP for Hamilton West Tama Potaka and MP for Hamilton East Ryan Hamilton say. 'This is a proud day for Hamilton. Establishing a medical school here recognises our city's growing role as a centre for education, research, and healthcare delivery across the wider Waikato and beyond,' says Mr Potaka. 'This has been years in the making. I want to acknowledge the long-standing work of former Hamilton MPs Hon. David Bennett and Hon. Tim Macindoe, and MP for Taupō, Louise Upston, who have strongly championed the case for a Waikato-based medical school. It's fantastic to see that advocacy now delivering real results for our city. 'This investment will give more students from places like Hillcrest, Silverdale, and Claudelands the chance to pursue medicine close to home – while reinforcing Hamilton East as a hub for future-focused learning and health leadership,' Says Mr Hamilton. 'The school will have a strong focus on primary care and rural health, supporting the Government's priority of improving access to timely, quality healthcare across the country. 'It will deliver a more flexible pathway into medicine with a graduate-entry programme, attracting a broader range of students and building a stronger, more diverse workforce.' The Government has committed $82.85 million to the project, alongside more than $150 million in funding from the University of Waikato and philanthropic partners. Construction and planning for new teaching facilities and clinical placements will begin shortly, with the programme expected to provide 120 new doctor training places per year from 2028. The announcement builds on the Government's wider investment in the health workforce, including 100 additional medical school places being added across the University of Auckland and the University of Otago over the term of this Government, and recent expansion of nursing, pharmacy, and midwifery programmes. 'This is a major milestone for the region and a step forward in strengthening New Zealand's health system,' says Mr Potaka. 'It reflects this Government's commitment to investing in regional growth, delivering better health outcomes, and ensuring more people have the opportunity to study and train closer to home.'
Economic Times
12-07-2025
- Health
- Economic Times
Obese and want to lose weight? Wegovy is not the long-term answer, according to leading weight loss surgeon
Getty Images Doctor warns that Wegovy may cause weight regain without lifestyle changes. (Representative Image) A leading New Zealand bariatric surgeon has warned that Wegovy, a newly available weight-loss drug that regulates your appetite and contains semaglutide, is not a standalone solution to obesity and could prove harmful without proper support. Dr Rowan French, a Waikato-based bariatric surgeon, said the drug, recently made available in New Zealand, may trigger initial weight loss, but long-term results depend heavily on accompanying lifestyle changes. Also Read: What happens near the Sun? NASA's Parker probe sends closest-ever photos of the Sun, unveils space weather origins'People need to know that it's likely, particularly for someone who's living with severe obesity... their problem is a lifelong one,' Dr French told RNZ. 'While it can be controlled, there's a good chance they will never fully be cured of that.' Wegovy contains semaglutide, a synthetic version of a gut hormone (GLP-1) that regulates insulin and appetite. While it mimics some effects seen after bariatric surgery, such as reduced hunger, it is delivered via weekly injections into the systemic bloodstream rather than through natural gut pathways. French explained that this difference, combined with the way the body builds tolerance to GLP-1 (a phenomenon called tachyphylaxis), means the drug may lose its effectiveness faster than surgery. 'In other words, as time goes on, the patient will get less and less benefit from the medication,' he said. 'Any suggestion some people should stay on it for life is unlikely to be sensible or beneficial.' He said that for weight-loss efforts using Wegovy or surgery to succeed, patients must address the psychological and behavioural roots of their eating habits. This includes understanding what triggers overeating and receiving nutritional counselling.'Without external help to understand their drivers to eat and nutritional help to understand the sorts of foods they should be eating — particularly in the first 18–24 months — the medications could prove more harmful than good,' he said. Also Read: Cheaper than eggs, healthier than meat; the superfood that could save your health and the planet, and we are skipping it The surgeon noted that many patients experience weight regain after initially losing weight on either medication or surgery, especially without proper follow-up. In the case of Wegovy, stopping the drug often results in regained weight. But even staying on it may not guarantee sustained results due to increasing drug tolerance.'We know that, when semaglutide is stopped, in most cases, weight is regained,' he said. 'But we can also predict that if a patient stays on it, they will develop tolerance, because this occurs with bariatric surgery, albeit later in the piece.' French underscored that obesity should be treated as a chronic disease, often rooted in genetic, early life, and environmental factors. He explained that most people have a genetically determined weight 'set point,' which the body subconsciously defends.'Our primitive brain interprets weight loss from dieting as starvation and starts to fight back,' he said. 'That's why yo-yo dieting often results in regaining more weight than was initially lost.'This process, he added, can raise an individual's set point over time, making long-term weight control increasingly difficult without medical intervention and behavioural support. Also Read: Men posing as women to get nudes; what's the creepy new catfish trend on OnlyFans? Another major factor driving obesity, French said, is the rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which he described as 'manufactured to make us eat as much as possible.''These foods make up about 50–60 percent of what we eat now,' he said. 'We know from robust data that they cause metabolic disease, depression, dementia, and even cancer.'He urged patients to focus on eating whole foods 'at least 95 percent of the time,' describing them as items 'your grandma would recognise as food.'French warned that media and celebrity portrayals of Wegovy as a 'miracle drug' may be misleading. While the medication is a powerful tool, he said, it must be part of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach involving psychology, nutrition, and exercise.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Obese and want to lose weight? Wegovy is not the long-term answer, according to leading weight loss surgeon
A leading New Zealand bariatric surgeon has warned that Wegovy , a newly available weight-loss drug that regulates your appetite and contains semaglutide , is not a standalone solution to obesity and could prove harmful without proper support. Dr Rowan French, a Waikato-based bariatric surgeon, said the drug, recently made available in New Zealand, may trigger initial weight loss , but long-term results depend heavily on accompanying lifestyle changes . Also Read: What happens near the Sun? NASA's Parker probe sends closest-ever photos of the Sun, unveils space weather origins 'People need to know that it's likely, particularly for someone who's living with severe obesity... their problem is a lifelong one,' Dr French told RNZ. 'While it can be controlled, there's a good chance they will never fully be cured of that.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Meet The Pillow That Is Changing The Lives Of People With Sleep Apnea (It's Genius!) Health Insight Undo What is wegovy? Wegovy contains semaglutide, a synthetic version of a gut hormone (GLP-1) that regulates insulin and appetite. While it mimics some effects seen after bariatric surgery , such as reduced hunger, it is delivered via weekly injections into the systemic bloodstream rather than through natural gut pathways. Live Events French explained that this difference, combined with the way the body builds tolerance to GLP-1 (a phenomenon called tachyphylaxis), means the drug may lose its effectiveness faster than surgery. 'In other words, as time goes on, the patient will get less and less benefit from the medication,' he said. 'Any suggestion some people should stay on it for life is unlikely to be sensible or beneficial.' Lifestyle and psychological support He said that for weight-loss efforts using Wegovy or surgery to succeed, patients must address the psychological and behavioural roots of their eating habits. This includes understanding what triggers overeating and receiving nutritional counselling. 'Without external help to understand their drivers to eat and nutritional help to understand the sorts of foods they should be eating — particularly in the first 18–24 months — the medications could prove more harmful than good,' he said. Also Read: Cheaper than eggs, healthier than meat; the superfood that could save your health and the planet, and we are skipping it Weight regain The surgeon noted that many patients experience weight regain after initially losing weight on either medication or surgery, especially without proper follow-up. In the case of Wegovy, stopping the drug often results in regained weight. But even staying on it may not guarantee sustained results due to increasing drug tolerance. 'We know that, when semaglutide is stopped, in most cases, weight is regained,' he said. 'But we can also predict that if a patient stays on it, they will develop tolerance, because this occurs with bariatric surgery, albeit later in the piece.' A chronic condition French underscored that obesity should be treated as a chronic disease , often rooted in genetic, early life, and environmental factors. He explained that most people have a genetically determined weight 'set point,' which the body subconsciously defends. 'Our primitive brain interprets weight loss from dieting as starvation and starts to fight back,' he said. 'That's why yo-yo dieting often results in regaining more weight than was initially lost.' This process, he added, can raise an individual's set point over time, making long-term weight control increasingly difficult without medical intervention and behavioural support. Also Read: Men posing as women to get nudes; what's the creepy new catfish trend on OnlyFans? The role of ultra-processed foods Another major factor driving obesity, French said, is the rise of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which he described as 'manufactured to make us eat as much as possible.' 'These foods make up about 50–60 percent of what we eat now,' he said. 'We know from robust data that they cause metabolic disease, depression, dementia, and even cancer.' He urged patients to focus on eating whole foods 'at least 95 percent of the time,' describing them as items 'your grandma would recognise as food.' French warned that media and celebrity portrayals of Wegovy as a 'miracle drug' may be misleading. While the medication is a powerful tool, he said, it must be part of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach involving psychology, nutrition, and exercise.
