The new Metabolic Obesity Service has been given an initial $657,000 in state government funding and will cater to patients who are hoping to eventually undergo bariatric surgery.

The service will work with a patient’s GP to provide healthy lifestyle education and counselling as part of six-month pre-surgical program tailored to their individual needs.

“Once the patient has achieved their goals, they will be referred for bariatric surgery at Wagga Health Service for long-term management of their obesity,” Murrumbidgee Local Health District chief executive Jill Ludford said.

Bariatric surgery consists of a variety of procedures including removing part of the stomach (gastric sleeve) or re-routing the small intestine to a small stomach pouch (gastric bypass).

The Wagga program is suitable for a select number of people with obesity-related diseases, who have tried other weight-loss programs without success, are non-smokers and are over the age of 18.

Two people who have already begun the program are Cara Wray and Veronica Hardy.

Ms Wray, 23, said she had been battling with obesity for a decade, after lifelong issues with weight.

“Before I would have probably had to travel to Sydney or somewhere and now I can just do it in my home town,” she said.

“I have done multiple things from fad dieting to exercise to pills to anything that could help me lose weight and nothing has been able to get me down under the triple digits.

“You go through a cycle where you’re feeling good about yourself, you’re getting some weight loss, then you’re getting no more results and you’re getting down about yourself and you put on more weight and then the cycle starts again.”

Ms Wray urged a greater understanding of obesity issues.

“I would tell people not to judge a book by its cover. Some people can’t lose weight, basically. They can’t get over a threshold. It doesn’t matter how much exercise you do, it doesn't matter how much dieting you do. Sometimes you just need that little bit of professional help.”

Like Ms Wray, Ms Hardy has been struggling with obesity issues for many years and she joined the program after being referred by her GP.

“I was probably what you’d call heavy-boned, I guess, as a teenager and the cycle just went on from there,” she said.

“Then every time I had a baby, I put on a little bit more weight and I never lost that before I had the next one, and it’s just continued my whole adult life.

“Surgery is not the magic bullet, it is a complete lifestyle change.”

Surgeon Nick Williams said there had been a shift in the way obesity was being addressed.

“As specialists we have really changed the way we view obesity. It is more than just telling people to eat less and move more,” he said.

“We know acknowledge there are now certainly genetic aspects to obesity, psychological aspects and indeed there are other medical health problems which can lead to obesity.”