Novel strategies for medical management of obesity: mechanisms, clinical implications, and societal impacts-a report from the 25th Annual Harvard Nutrition Obesity Symposium.

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease with a multifactorial etiology. Over the past 5 y, obesity medicine has entered a new era with the advent of novel, game-changing pharmacotherapies that achieve weight loss exceeding 15%-20%. Beyond weight loss, these powerful therapies offer additional benefits, such as cardiovascular improvements. These novel agents, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, work by reducing appetite, slowing gastric emptying, and increasing feelings of fullness. Recent work also points out the potential role of these medications for other medical conditions, including addictive and neurodegenerative disorders. In June 2024, the National Institutes of Health-funded Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard and the Harvard Medical School Division of Nutrition hosted their 25th annual Harvard Nutrition Obesity Symposium, titled "Novel Strategies for Medical Management of Obesity: Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Societal Impacts." This paper synthesizes the symposium's discussions, emphasizing the importance of innovative pharmacotherapeutic strategies in addressing the burden of obesity and the associated economic and social inequities, including disparities in access to care in adults and children.