Weight loss surgery can reverse Type 2 diabetes in eight in ten cases, yet the NHS was accused of ignoring it. With 1.2 million morbidly obese people in the UK costing the economy £7.2 billion, and one million meeting the NICE criteria, we used World Diabetes Day to build a broadcast PR campaign for Gravitas, a nationwide partnership of leading weight loss surgeons. We put a leading bariatric surgeon from Gravitas on air across a radio day of interviews to explain what the surgery can do. The campaign secured 13 items of radio coverage reaching 1.2 million listeners, including BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Sheffield.
Gravitas wanted to raise awareness of bariatric surgery in normalising Type 2 diabetes and position Gravitas as a leading weight loss surgery provider.
The message
Many people are unaware that bariatric surgery can limit diabetes in the morbidly obese, and it is safer to have the surgery than not. Gravitas is a nationwide partnership of leading weight loss surgeons.
The angle
There were 1.2 million morbidly obese people in the UK, costing the economy £7.2 billion, yet the NHS was accused of ignoring weight loss surgery that can reverse Type 2 diabetes in eight in ten cases. One million people met the NICE criteria.
On air
A leading bariatric surgeon from Gravitas
The result
13 items of coverage reaching 1.2 million, including BBC Radio Devon, BBC Radio Sheffield.
About World Diabetes Day
World Diabetes Day is led by the International Diabetes Federation and falls on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin. It raises awareness of diabetes and of how it can be prevented and managed. For brands and charities with something useful to say, it gives radio and TV producers a timely reason to book an interview.
Planning World Diabetes Day for 2027?
World Diabetes Day next falls on Sunday 14 November 2027. Talk to the team about a broadcast PR campaign that gets your spokesperson on radio and TV.
