[The current status and challenges of weight management and the construction of centers in China].

Abstract

In recent years, obesity as a chronic and relapsing disease, has become a major public health challenge in China. The government has issued multiple policies to promote the establishment of weight management centers. Drawing on years of experience in centralized weight management centers development, national policies, and hospital-specific characteristics, this article elaborates on the necessity, standardization, progress, and challenges of building weight management centers, focusing on discipline development, academic principles, clinical interventions, and future directions. Guideline for chronic weight management and clinical practice of anti-obesity medications (2024 version) emphasize the need for multi-dimensional assessment and staged goal management for obesity. They propose a "treat to success" model, advocating for early pharmacological intervention combined with lifestyle modifications to disrupt metabolic compensatory mechanisms. The construction of weight management centers has been gradually shifted from loosely coordinated multidisciplinary teams towards a centralized management system. This integrates resources from endocrinology, nutrition, surgery, and other relevant fields. However, challenges persist, including inconsistent implementation philosophies and an underdeveloped professional certification system for specialized personnel. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology empowers obesity management through data integration, personalized interventions, and remote monitoring, yet attention should be paid to data security and patient capabilities. The development of novel anti-obesity medications and minimally invasive technologies offers promising new directions for long-term weight management. Looking ahead, future efforts need to strengthen policy implementation, build robust centralized weight management centers platforms, advance multi-target drug development, and deeply integrate AI technologies, which are essential to achieve the goal of lifecycle-wide obesity prevention and control.