[Routine medical management of obesity]

Management of obesity is often reduced to counselling, focusing on factors directly affecting energy balance: food intake and physical activity. However, the causes of excessive food intake, eating disorders and their causal factors, are largely unknown. This can lead to unsuitable obesity management. In the present text, we detail the clinical elements which can be helpful for the specialist or general practitioner making a global assessment of their overweight patients. The goal is to help the patient establish a care project with medical support, as would be the case for any chronic disease.