Trained as a medical doctor and specialising in psychiatry, Dr Blair-West has worked as a psychotherapist for 20 years and now sub-specialises in the treatment of obesity. His fascination is the way the human mind develops deep emotional attachments to food and then sabotages weight loss if they are not managed.

He is a Life Fellow of the Obesity Prevention & Treatment Society and is their media spokesperson. In 2006 he was invited to present on the clinical management of obesity at the International Congress on Obesity held in Sydney. The following year he was asked to provide the keynote address at the Innovations in the Prevention and Management of Obesity conference in Melbourne (to see the feedback click here). Most recently he has been invited to give the keynote address to the annual 2009 Diabetes New Zealand Conference. His presentations are renowned (& reliably rated on feedback) for his comprehensive command of his subject which is paralleled by his engaging, energetic & often humorous delivery. He continues to work in his clinic in Brisbane, Australia, working with people both individually as well as in groups.

He is author of the Bests Selling book Weight Loss for Food Lovers: Understanding our minds and why we sabotage our weight loss. Originally written to give his clientele a headstart in making sense of the psychology of weight loss in simple terms. Now in its Third Edition and as well as Australia and New Zealand, it is now published in the UK and throughout Europe.  He has also  been invited to share his work at the Dietitians' Association of Australia, the Queensland Premier’s Obesity Summit – even the Melbourne Writers Festival.

In a previous life he completed a three year tenure as a part-time Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland. During this time, he published in peak international journals and presented at international conferences on health care delivery and suicide in depression.