Introduction to Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative affects on health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person’s weight divided by the square of the person’s height—is over 30 kg/m2; the range 25–30 kg/m2 is defined as overweight.[1] Some East Asian countries use lower values to calculate obesity. Obesity is a major cause of disability and is correlated with various diseases and conditions, particularly cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
Types of Obesity
Understanding these factors is critical, because obesity is associated with other diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Not to mention the stigma and bias millions suffer every day.
Together with our partners, we are committed to driving change in how the world sees, prevents and treats obesity. As leaders within the science of obesity, we are working to make obesity a healthcare priority, defeat stigma and support better access to evidence-based care.
Scientific and medical experts are increasingly recognising obesity as a serious chronic disease. While this may come as a surprise to some people, it is a big relief to others, especially those living with the disease.
But why is obesity a disease and not simply lack of willpower or a matter of lifestyle? Part of the answer lies in the fact that there’s more to obesity than you can see. Its causes are multiple, from genetic disposition to brain chemistry, it is not an easy disease to treat.
The good news is that obesity is a manageable disease and people who live with it are getting improved treatments and programmes to support their health and wellbeing. But there is a lot of work still to be done to increase awareness, fight stigmatisation and discrimination.
Obesity is a serious chronic disease
988m
adults and children are currently living with obesity globally.
3x
The global prevalence of obesity has more than tripled since 1975.
20%+
Achieving 20% or more in weight loss without surgery is our ambition for patients.
Treatment of Obesity
Obesity is influenced by many factors both inside and outside of the body. A person could be born with a tendency to put on weight. Just as someone is born with a particular eye colour.
There is also the physiological aspect. When a person eats, hormone signals from the stomach and gut are translated into feelings of reduced hunger and increased satiety. This controls a person’s food intake.
During weight loss, the level of hormones can change in an attempt to regain the lost weight. As a result, studies show that only about one third of people successfully maintain their lost weight.
To understand obesity, we must understand what is going on in our brains. It seems our bodies are hard-wired to hang on to those extra calories, probably because for thousands of years, it was a basic survival mechanism.
Therefore, people living with obesity struggle to lose weight. Their bodies’ programming works to get them back to their original starting weight. In the brain, it’s as if there is a switch that tweaks a person’s energy expenditure until they have regained the lost kilos.
Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing rates in adults and children. In 2015, 600 million adults (12%) and 100 million children were obese in 195 countries. Obesity is more common in women than in men. Today, obesity is stigmatized in most of the world. Conversely, some cultures, past and present, have a favorable view of obesity, seeing it as a symbol of wealth and fertility. The World Health Organization, the US, Canada, Japan, Portugal, Germany, the European Parliament and medical societies, e.g. the American Medical Association, classify obesity as a disease. Others, such as the UK, do not.
Drug peptide
Semaglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors. It is unknown whether OZEMPIC causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans…
Tirzepatide causes thyroid C-cell tumors in rats. It is unknown whether MOUNJARO causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma…
Retatrutide (LY3437943) is a triple agonist peptide of glucagon receptor (GCGR), glucose-dependent insulin-promoting peptide receptor (GIPR), and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R)…
Cagrilintide is an investigational long-acting acylated amylin analogue acting as a nonselective amylin receptor (AMYR) and calcitonin G protein-coupled receptor (CTR) agonist…
Linaclotide is a potent and selective guanylate cyclase-C agonist developed for treatment of IBS-C and chronic constipation…
