{"title":"Recognizing overweight and obesity as chronic diseases and acknowledging root causes.","authors":"Bryn E Falahee, Dong Wook Kim, Caroline M Apovian","doi":"10.1016/j.medj.2025.100782","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As obesity increases in the global population, it is important to recognize that obesity is not a willpower failure but a chronic disease regulated by genetic, environmental, and hormonal control of energy balance. Obesity is also caused by social and political factors, including poor regulation of the food industry and lack of access to healthy, affordable foods. To de-stigmatize obesity, we need to understand and teach the pathophysiology of overweight and obesity in the same way we teach the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. The controversy surrounding the need for new incretin-mimetic obesity medications illustrates the lack of understanding of obesity as a chronic disease. While we may not be able to change social conditions, modify genetic or environmental factors, or regulate the food industry, we can de-stigmatize obesity and overweight in our clinics and offer appropriate treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":29964,"journal":{"name":"Med","volume":" ","pages":"100782"},"PeriodicalIF":11.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Med","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medj.2025.100782","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/7/29 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
As obesity increases in the global population, it is important to recognize that obesity is not a willpower failure but a chronic disease regulated by genetic, environmental, and hormonal control of energy balance. Obesity is also caused by social and political factors, including poor regulation of the food industry and lack of access to healthy, affordable foods. To de-stigmatize obesity, we need to understand and teach the pathophysiology of overweight and obesity in the same way we teach the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. The controversy surrounding the need for new incretin-mimetic obesity medications illustrates the lack of understanding of obesity as a chronic disease. While we may not be able to change social conditions, modify genetic or environmental factors, or regulate the food industry, we can de-stigmatize obesity and overweight in our clinics and offer appropriate treatment.
期刊介绍：
Med is a flagship medical journal published monthly by Cell Press, the global publisher of trusted and authoritative science journals including Cell, Cancer Cell, and Cell Reports Medicine. Our mission is to advance clinical research and practice by providing a communication forum for the publication of clinical trial results, innovative observations from longitudinal cohorts, and pioneering discoveries about disease mechanisms. The journal also encourages thought-leadership discussions among biomedical researchers, physicians, and other health scientists and stakeholders. Our goal is to improve health worldwide sustainably and ethically.
Med publishes rigorously vetted original research and cutting-edge review and perspective articles on critical health issues globally and regionally. Our research section covers clinical case reports, first-in-human studies, large-scale clinical trials, population-based studies, as well as translational research work with the potential to change the course of medical research and improve clinical practice.
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