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Obesity as a Disease
Michael A Via1, Jeffrey I Mechanick2
1Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Beth Israel Medical Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 55 East 34th St., New York, NY, 10016, USA. mvia@chpnet.org.
Current Obesity Reports
|December 3, 2015
Summary
Obesity is a growing global health concern, increasingly recognized as a disease. This designation supports the need for public policies to address its significant health and economic impacts.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Medical Science
- Health Policy
Background:
- Obesity and related conditions are major global public health challenges.
- Various policy interventions have been implemented globally to combat obesity, with mixed results.
- Professional health organizations increasingly define obesity as a disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significance of obesity as a public health issue.
- To provide arguments supporting the classification of obesity as a disease.
- To underscore the necessity for enhanced public health policies.
Main Methods:
- Review of current public health concerns regarding obesity.
- Analysis of arguments for classifying obesity as a disease.
- Examination of the impact of policy measures on obesity rates.
Main Results:
- Obesity presents a substantial public health threat with significant economic implications.
- Obesity is associated with a high risk of comorbid medical conditions.
- Physiological changes in the obese state deviate significantly from healthy norms.
Conclusions:
- Classifying obesity as a disease is supported by its associated health risks and physiological changes.
- Recognizing obesity as a disease emphasizes the need for comprehensive public health strategies.
- Further policy development is crucial to mitigate the widespread impact of obesity.
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