[Recommendations for the treatment of obesity]

Obesity represents a major medical problem which is now considered more seriously from a scientific, clinical and economical point of view. Such an evolution was mandatory when considering the usual contempt for what is now considered as a chronic disease and especially the charlatanism which was observed among medical and non-medical spheres. Hence, as for numerous other pathologies, international guidelines have recently been published to optimize the management of obesity, from the view point of efficacy and, more particularly, safety. We will summarize the main recommendations as far as diet and physical treatment, pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery are concerned. Finally, we will briefly describe general guidelines on the management of obese subjects taking into account the degree of weight excess and the presence of complications.