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Medical Information | Non-US Health Care Professionals
Obesity: A Chronic Disease
Obesity: A Chronic Disease

Helping your patients with obesity begins with understanding the science

obesity: achronic disease

Obesity affects millions of adults in the United States and is designated as a chronic disease by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Medical Association (AMA), The Obesity Society (TOS) and the World Obesity Federation (WOF).1-5  

In the US, ~100 million adults live with obesity6,7,a

Icon of people of various sizes superimposed on a map of the contiguous United States

aAdults aged ≥20

3x the number of adults with diabetes8

Icon showing the light-blue outline of one person, and equals sign, and three white outlines of a person, representing that obesity is three times as common as diabetes

Obesity is associated with >60 comorbidities9

Icon with 57 dots and one person, illustrating that obesity is associated with 57 comorbidities

Weight loss of 5% or more has been shown to impact some weight-related comorbidities.10

Explore your role

For patients with obesity, you play an important role in weight management. Find out how to initiate conversations about weight and support your patients’ weight-loss efforts.

Actor portrayal

Explore your role

For patients with obesity, you play an important role in weight management. Find out how to initiate conversations about weight and support your patients’ weight-loss efforts.

Factors of obesity

The main contributors to obesity in your patient population can be classified as genetic, environmental and physiological factors.11-14

Line drawing showing an ECG tracing, a microscope, a beaker, and a Petri dish, representing the scientific factors that contribute to obesity

Factors of obesity

The main contributors to obesity in your patient population can be classified as genetic, environmental and physiological factors.11-14  

References:

  1. Garvey W, Mechanick J, Brett E, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology Comprehensive Clinical Practice Guidelines for Medical Care of Patients With Obesity. Endocr Pract. 2016;22(Suppl 3):1-203.
  2. Overweight, obesity, and fitness. American Academy of Family Physicians website. https://www.aafp.org/patient-care/public-health/fitness-obesity.html. Accessed August 17, 2020.
  3. American Medical Association House of Delegates, 2013. Recognition of obesity as a disease. Resolution 420 (A-13). May 16, 2013. Chicago, USA.
  4. Jastreboff A, Kotz C, Kahan S, et al. Obesity as a disease: the obesity society 2018 position statement. Obesity. 2019; 27(1):7-9.
  5. Bray G, Kim K, Wilding, J. Obesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation. Obes Rev. 2017;18(7):715-723
  6. US Census Bureau. QuickFacts: United States. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US#viewtop. Accessed July 1, 2020.
  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity and overweight. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm. Last updated June 13, 2016. Accessed July 1, 2020.
  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2020.
  9. Bays HE, McCarthy W, Christensen S, et al. Obesity Algorithm eBook, presented by the Obesity Medicine Association. https://obesitymedicine.org/obesity-algorithm. Accessed September 2020.
  10. Wing RR, Lang W, Wadden TA, et al; Look AHEAD Research Group. Benefits of modest weight loss in improving cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(7):1481-1486.
  11. Hebebrand J, Hinney A, Knoll N, et al. Molecular genetic aspects of weight regulation. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2013;110(19):38-344.
  12. World Health Organization. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 2000;894:i-xiii, 1-253.
  13. Affenito SG, Franko DL, Striegel-Moore RH, Thompson D. Behavioral determinants of obesity: research findings and policy implications. J Obes. 2012;2012:1-4.
  14. Sumithran P, Prendergast LA, Delbridge E, et al. Long-term persistence of hormonal adaptations to weight loss. N Engl J Med. 2011;365(17):1597-160.