Dietitians and Exercise Physiologists Call for Funded Support Alongside GLP-1 Medications

On 28 September 2026, the national bodies for dietitians and exercise physiologists made a joint call to government: if more people are going to be prescribed GLP-1 medications, they should also be able to see an Accredited Practising Dietitian and an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, with Medicare funding to match. Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA) and Dietitians Australia made the case in a joint submission to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), the body that advises government on which medicines are subsidised. Here is what they asked for, why, and what it means for you today.

What the two bodies are asking for

The submission makes three recommendations to the PBAC:

• Funded, voluntary referral pathways. Anyone receiving subsidised GLP-1 treatment should be able to be referred to a dietitian and an exercise physiologist during treatment, and after the dose is reduced or the medication stops. Voluntary means it would be offered, not made a condition of treatment.
• More Medicare-funded visits. Up to 12 funded dietitian and exercise physiologist services in the first year of treatment, concentrated in the early months, with ongoing access in later years. The submission also asks that these can be delivered by telehealth, so people in regional and rural areas are not left out.
• Measuring more than weight. When the medicines are evaluated after listing, the results should include nutrition status, muscle strength and physical function, not just weight and heart outcomes.

Why they say medication alone is not enough

GLP-1 medications reduce appetite and how much people eat. The statement’s point is that eating less does not automatically mean eating well. Dietitians Australia’s chief executive, Magriet Raxworthy, put it simply: “These medicines change how much people eat. An Accredited Practising Dietitian makes sure what they do eat still gives them the protein, vitamins and minerals they need to stay well.”

The submission sets out the risks the two professions are trained to help with:

• Nutrient gaps. One large US study of adults with type 2 diabetes found nutritional deficiencies were diagnosed in about one in eight people within six months of starting a GLP-1 medication, and about one in five within a year.
• Muscle loss. Some of the weight lost is muscle and other lean tissue rather than fat. The submission cites estimates of roughly 15 to 40 per cent, with the concern being lost strength and function, especially for older people.
• Gut side effects. Nausea, vomiting and constipation are common and can make it harder to eat and drink enough.
• What happens after stopping. Weight regain after stopping is common. In one trial extension, participants had regained about two thirds of the weight they lost within a year of stopping, when their lifestyle support stopped too.
• Relationship with food. A suppressed appetite and a strong focus on weight can bring out or entrench disordered eating in people who are vulnerable to it.

The two roles are designed to fit together. A dietitian works on nutrition: enough protein, vitamins and minerals on a smaller appetite, managing gut symptoms, and eating habits that last. An exercise physiologist prescribes exercise, particularly strength training, to protect muscle, strength and physical function. As Ms Raxworthy said: “Most people won’t take these medicines forever. An Accredited Practising Dietitian helps them build eating habits they can keep when the medicine stops.”

It is worth being clear about the evidence. Professional bodies here and overseas recommend nutrition support alongside these medicines, but there are not yet trials showing that dietitian care improves results on GLP-1 treatment specifically. The joint call rests on the known risks above and on how dietitians and exercise physiologists already help in related conditions.

Not the first time Dietitians Australia has made this case

In August 2025, as part of its Parliamentary Friends of Nutrition advocacy, Dietitians Australia argued for “nutrition first” GLP-1 care. It asked that referral to an Accredited Practising Dietitian be required when a GLP-1 medicine is prescribed, and for more Medicare items for care before, during and after treatment. It pointed to a 2025 study in which more than one in five people developed a nutrient deficiency within a year, a similar finding to the one described above. The September 2026 submission takes that argument to the body that decides which medicines are subsidised.

The Medicare gap

At the moment, people with a chronic condition can get up to five Medicare-subsidised allied health visits a year through a GP chronic condition management plan (these plans replaced GP management plans and team care arrangements on 1 July 2025). Those five visits are shared across every allied health profession: dietitians, exercise physiologists, physiotherapists, podiatrists and more.

For someone who needs regular support from both a dietitian and an exercise physiologist, five visits a year does not stretch far. The submission points to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, which already allows eligible veterans up to 12 visits per allied health profession each year, as a model. It also includes economic modelling arguing that the extra visits would be a small cost relative to the medicine itself.

What this means for you right now

Nothing has changed yet. This is a submission, not a decision. The PBAC’s advice is still to come, and any change to Medicare funding would be a separate decision for government. If you have been prescribed a GLP-1 medication, here is what you can do today:

• Ask your GP about a chronic condition management plan. If you have an eligible chronic condition, your GP can set one up and refer you. Whether you qualify is your GP’s call.
• Plan how to use your visits. Because the five visits are shared, it is worth talking with your GP about how to split them, for example between a dietitian and an exercise physiologist.
• Check your private health cover. Many extras policies include dietetics and exercise physiology. Your fund can tell you what you are covered for.
• Consider telehealth. Dietitian consults work well by video, which helps if you live outside a major centre.

In a dietitian consult for GLP-1 medication, we look at the things the joint statement highlights: whether you are getting enough protein, vitamins and minerals on a smaller appetite, how to manage nausea and constipation, how you are feeling about food, and how to plan ahead for when the medication stops. Our guides cover each of these: what to eat on GLP-1 medication, nausea and constipation, and stopping GLP-1 medication.

For the exercise side, an Accredited Exercise Physiologist can build a strength program around your health and any joint or heart concerns. ESSA has a directory of accredited practitioners. If you see one, we are glad to work alongside them and your GP.

Our view

We welcome the joint call. It matches how we already work: GLP-1 medications change appetite, and support to eat well on a smaller appetite, and to keep eating well after the medication stops, is part of looking after your health, not an optional extra. We work alongside GPs and the wider care team, and a funding model that lets people see both a dietitian and an exercise physiologist without running out of visits would make that easier for the people we see.

When to talk to your doctor